Easy-to-use EasyOne Pro can boost practice income, delivers quick ROI, improves patient experience
Case study: Austin Pulmonary
- Previous clinic PFT device was often erroneous, requiring multiple attempts
- Malfunctioning devices contributed to testing delays, reducing the clinic’s ability to see patients efficiently and effectively
- Due to these various frustrations, patient experience was negatively affected
- Additional issues compounded due to inadequate technical support from the PFT manufacturer
- Quick and complete PFT results in under 20 minutes is achievable. Results instantly available for on-the-spot physician overread
- Easy to learn and use making it more quickly integrated in a clinic’s workflow, preventing additional burden on staff
- Superior,reliable TrueFlow & TrueCheck technology, reducing the risk of device malfunction
- Efficient and effective, leading to a quick return on investment and improvement in patient experience
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About Austin Pulmonary #
Austin Pulmonary is a thriving seven-physician practice that operates three clinics serving Greater Austin, Texas. As a growing pulmonary practice in a metropolitan area, efficient and accurate pulmonary function tests are crucial to ensure the patient community is best served.
Challenge #
The staff at Austin Pulmonary see upwards of 20 patients a day with a variety of lung conditions. With their current cabinless PFT equipment, they were experiencing a number of frustrations:
- Device was unreliable, often freezing up during testing. Reboots were lengthy.
- Patients requiring pulmonary function tests may not have the best lung health. With repeat testing, it increased patient exertion and exhaustion, making it more difficult for patients to perform their PFTs acceptably. This further increased the risk of unreliable exams.
- Patients coming to the clinic experienced disruption to their visits. With a primary medical device malfunctioning frequently that led to patient visits being disrupted, the relationship between Austin Pulmonary could become negative.
- Technical support was slow and at times unavailable, reducing Austin Pulmonary’s confidence that issues would be resolved reliably, further damaging the clinic’s confidence in their medical device.
Solution #
Within a matter of months, Austin Pulmonary was able to recoup its investment in the EasyOne Pro device and add a new income stream.
After discussion with his colleagues and respiratory therapy staff, Dr. Shenil Shah took the lead. His research led him to ndd Medical Technologies’ EasyOne Pro, a portable PFT device using ultrasound TrueFlow™ and TrueCheck™ technology to perform all the pulmonary function testing the practice requires – spirometry, lung volumes and diffusing capacity of the lungs (DLCO).
The decision to standardize on the EasyOne Pro was made after evaluation and testing at their busiest office. The EasyOne Pro was chosen due to its ease of use, accuracy, portability, and cost. The devices are now being utilized in all three of Austin Pulmonary’s offices, providing patients and their physicians with high quality PFT results.
EasyOne Pro’s efficiency and accuracy are attributable to the patented TrueFlow and TrueCheck technology, which eliminate common sources of error and save time.
- Patient and user friendly, leading to more positive experiences for the staff and patients
- Self-Quality Control through TrueCheck Technology, ensuring DLCO trials are accurate and validated each time
- Easy to maintain – healthcare providers can perform annual maintenance themselves in just 10 minutes
- Compact, lightweight design
The EasyOne Pro’s portability is especially important in one of Austin Pulmonary offices, which does not have a dedicated room for pulmonary function testing. Taking up only one square foot of space, the EasyOne Pro is easily transported from room to room on a cart.
The Results #
Within a matter of months, Austin Pulmonary was able to recoup its investment in the EasyOne Pro device and add a new income stream.
But the major benefit to the practice has been the speed of testing, which not only provides the patient’s test results quickly, but also greatly improves the patient experience.
“I do an average of 20 PFTs a day in this office alone, and speed is important,” says clinic manager Stacie MacGregor, RRT, RCT. “For me, a major benefit is how quickly I can get them done now.”
She adds, “I like the idea that we can combine lung volumes and diffusion in one maneuver. That’s a time savings for us because I do so many.”
Despite her 30 years of respiratory therapy experience, MacGregor finds she is having more success with DLCO testing while also improving the patient experience. “Holding their breath can be very difficult for patients. With the EasyOne Pro’s visuals, I can see if they’re not holding that breath and why, and I can coach them better,” she says, adding “I can turn the screen and show patients the maneuver, making it easier for them to see and understand what I’m looking for. That’s encouraging for the patient.”
Ease-of-use and “amazing” tech support are also appreciated. “There is no maintenance, no calibration, and when they’re needed, ndd’s tech support is amazing”, she says. “They’re very quick to respond, which has made a big difference.”
To learn more about Austin Pulmonary and their services visit: https://austinpulmonaryconsultants.com/.