Choosing Medical Diagnostic Equipment

            Representatives approach hospitals from a slew of companies that are always looking to sell them new drugs or equipment for use on their patients. When it comes to selecting medical equipment, hospitals must be extremely careful. Purchasing diagnostic equipment is like purchasing any other item of expensive equipment: companies want the highest quality and function for the best price. When it deals with a field as delicate and important as medical diagnostic functions, equipment has to be reliable and effective.

Equipment has to be able to read and communicate in the most recent medical diagnostic codes. It has to be able to give accurate readings and results for a variety of diseases and patient conditions. Medical diagnostic equipment is extremely expensive and sensitive, usually requiring specialized rooms or staff to operate it to its full potential. Equipment that uses radiation or sensitive electrical signals is usually housed in vault-like rooms that are reinforced with steel walls and doors to avoid misuse or contamination.

Medical diagnostic imaging is another important function of most medical diagnostic equipment. Imaging can manifest in a variety of forms based on the information that needs to be gathered. Images can range from simple graphs that show the concentration of white blood cells in a patient’s body, to complex, full motion images of the neurons of a brain firing off in response to external or internal stimuli. This kind of equipment is especially useful to medical diagnostic laboratories that use medical diagnostics to treat and diagnose their patients.

At the forefront of the field is medical diagnostic sonography. Sonography is when a medical technician uses high frequency sound waves, also known as ultrasound, to diagnose and treat medical conditions. Sonography can give pregnant mothers an accurate view of their developing babies, or technicians can shoot high frequency sound waves into a patient to break up a particularly large kidney stone, making it safer and easier to pass without using drugs or invasive surgery. It can also help detect tumors and other blockages in a patient, without so much as making a single incision.

Medical equipment is costly to purchase, operate, and maintenance. Hospitals must consider what is best for patients, and unfortunately, what is best for budget. If hasty decisions are made and lack luster equipment is purchased, the results can permanently damage a hospitals budget, reputation, and worst of all, their patients.

Understanding CPT Code

            CPT code is a universal language implemented in the medical field for roughly 47 years. CPT stands for Current Procedural Terminology and creates a quick, convenient way for medical staff to communicate when referring to a patient’s diagnosis, medication, or ailments. It is one of the most useful forms of jargon that is shared by all health care professionals. CPT is implemented in hospitals, insurance agencies, and in the field by emergency response personnel.

CPT was first developed in 1966 by the American Medical association. It helped doctors and medical staff communicate between each other efficiently, regardless of distance or language that tends to vary at different hospitals. It also comes into use when doctors and medical staff deal with insurance agencies, as most agents and claim filers are also versed in CPT, making conditions easier to report and file. In the 70’s the current version of CPT, known as CPT-4, came into existence and is used currently in hospitals all over the nation.

With the massive integration of technology into the medical field, software has been created that helps learning and speaking CPT-4 easier than ever. CPT 4 code lookup programs are a vital tool in understanding and communicating in CPT-4. When consulting a program or piece of equipment that aid in CPT 4 codes and lookup, curious staff just need to type in the ailment or situation. A CPT code lookup program will provide the correct code based on the current, and in some cases prior, forms of CPT code. When using CPT and codes lookup programs, staff must not use it as a crutch. Proficient understanding and implementation of CPT code is needed in order to be a successful medical care professional.

CPT coding lookup is invaluable in today’s rapidly evolving medical field and practices. It can be used in tandem with any electronic medical record program and can help staff classify symptoms and ailments for use by other medical staff or insurance companies. Although technology is a valuable aid in the medical community, it cannot be relied on entirely. Staff must be trained in communicating in CPT-4 without the use of code lookup programs or software. If medical staff fails to learn and correctly implement the use of CPT-4 code, the results can be catastrophic. Incorrect usage or deciphering of CPT-4 code can result in botched surgeries, incorrect diagnoses, and potentially preventable patient death.