Thank you to all the Medical offices that took the time to respond to our survey. We couldn’t have been more pleased with the feedback. Your input has brought to our attention areas where we can improve and grow, while overall confirming that the company is on track in providing the optimal ultrasound services needed in your offices.
Our goal is to continue bringing you the utmost excellence in all your ultrasound needs. We are taking your suggestions and comments seriously, and will use the information to fuel our efforts in providing you the best service possible.
Due to the considerable and constructive responses, we would like to share some of the results of our survey.
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We are pleased to share the outcome of the survey with you and want to express our appreciation to those who responded. We will use the feedback to improve overall as a company and provide superior service to you and your patients. Thank you for choosing Empire Diagnostic Solutions for your ultrasound needs.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer (5/25, Zeltner) reported that "even a small increase in the plaque that can build up on artery walls in the heart leads to more heart attacks, bypass surgery, angioplasty, and deaths, according to a study" published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Cleveland Clinic researchers "examined results from six Clinic-led trials that used...intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) to measure plaque buildup in the arteries of 4,317 patients with heart disease." The data indicated that "plaque growth of less than one percent over an 18 to 24 month period predicted poor outcomes for patients, said Dr. Steven Nissen, the Clinic's chief of cardiovascular medicine and an author on the paper."
At EDS, we specialize in the painless, noninvasive detection of arterial plaque utilizing state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment from one of the most trusted names in healthcare technology, General Electric. EDS is dedicated to providing lifesaving diagnostic services of the highest quality.
Empire Diagnostic Solutions is constantly working on improvement of our
services. Right now we’re working on reconstruction of our automated
information system. This will enable additional functions for doctors and
staff and will ensure the best quality service for our clients!
In order to facilitate such major project, we will have a specialist in
automated systems on board beginning October, 1st, 2010.
You can find out more information by following the link!
LCA and Information
On Monday, April 19th, 2010, Empire Diagnostic Solutions will provide gold-level support for the annual Kings County Podiatric Association’s membership meeting. This year’s gathering will be held at the four-star Lai Yuen restaurant on 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. All area podiatrists are invited to attend and enjoy good food with informative presentations geared towards helping to improve your practice.
Lai Yuen is located at 10033 4th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11209
(718) 567-2300
March 30, 2010 - As a member of the PAD Coalition and a respected facility accredited by the ICAVL, EDS has always strived to be a strong player in the fight against cardiovascular disease. The results of a new study, described in the following article from “Medscape Medical News—a professional news service of WebMD,” describe how one of the vital vascular tests offered by EDS, has now been shown to have even more valuable and life-saving effects.
Please see the full article below:
Abnormal ABI an indicator of cardiovascular events in low-risk elderly.
MARCH 19, 2010 | Deborah Brauser
From Medscape Medical News—a professional news service of WebMD.
Tampa, FL - An abnormal ankle-brachial index (ABI) can predict an increased risk for future cardiovascular events in elderly people with low to intermediate Framingham risk scores (FRS), according to results from a new study presented here at SIR 2010: the Society of Interventional Radiology's 35th annual scientific meeting.
"This simple inexpensive test provides another way to identify those who may be at risk for future heart attacks," said principal investigator Dr Tim Murphy (Brown University Alpert School of Medicine, Providence, RI) during his presentation.
"Any methods to improve identification of individuals who are otherwise not considered at high risk for heart attack, based on Framingham risk factors, would have a significant public-health impact," Murphy said in a press release. With the help of this test, "thousands of lives can possibly be saved."
Examining PEDAL data
Almost two-thirds of coronary episodes occur in individuals not known to be at high risk for these events, according to the presentation.
The ABI test is a noninvasive blood-pressure reading in the ankle used to screen for peripheral artery disease (PAD). "It is a direct measure of fatty plaque buildup in leg arteries and an indirect gauge of plaque accumulations throughout the entire cardiovascular system," explained Murphy.
Although previous studies have examined the link between high ABI and increased risk for MI, this is the first trial to look at this association in an older population not otherwise considered at high risk.
Murphy and his team examined data from the Population-Based Examinations to Determine Ankle-Brachial Index (PEDAL) study, a trial conducted at 23 sites across the US organized by Legs for Life, a free public-screening program.
A total of 822 people (69.7% female; 89.7% white; mean age 64 years) were enrolled in 2007 and 2008 and screened for PAD with an ABI test. None of the patients evaluated had known cardiovascular disease or diabetes.
The FRS was used to determine 10-year risk for coronary heart disease, based on low (<6%), intermediate (6%-19%), and high (>20%) classifications. An ABI of less than 0.9 and/or more than 1.4 in either leg was considered abnormal.
10% of otherwise low-risk individuals identified
Results at the end of the analysis showed a 14.2% prevalence of abnormal ABIs among the participants (95% CI 11.9%-16.8%).
A total of 256 of the individuals had a low FRS, 414 had an intermediate FRS, and 152 had a high FRS (31.1%, 50.4%, and 18.5%, respectively).
Of those with a low FRS, 11.3% also had abnormal ABIs, as did 12.8% of participants with an intermediate FRS.
"Overall, 10% of the PEDAL participants had abnormal ABIs but were otherwise at low to intermediate [risk according to FRS] and would not be considered for aggressive risk-factor management," reported Murphy.
He added: "I think most people don't appreciate that the traditional, accepted way to evaluate risk in people is not very sensitive and [identifies], at best, about a third of the people who are going to have heart attacks." In contrast, "the ABI is a risk-free, noninvasive test that can be easily used to identify people who have no prior history of any events.
"People know their blood pressure and know their cholesterol because they know it's important for risk prediction, but those don't do a great job [of predicting risk]. Maybe everyone should know their ABI as well, although we'll need to do more research before making that recommendation overall."
However, he noted that if people are older than 55 years with no known risk, "it would be nice to at least consider getting the test because one out of 10 of those individuals will be found to have PAD, which is known as a high risk [factor] for heart attacks."
When asked about test costs, Murphy estimated that it would average between $100 and $200 but is often considered part of a normal physical exam. "It is not currently reimbursed as an independent test [except] for high-risk patients, who were not part of our study, but free screenings are often held across the country."
Test should become widespread
"With this very simple test, [the investigators] were able to identify PAD in 11% to 12% of patients [in whom] you wouldn't expect to have any problems," said Dr John Lipman (Emory Adventist Hospital, Atlanta, GA).
"This is really exciting because now you're shifting the focus more to the preventive side," added Lipman, who was not involved with the study. "Can we now identify people earlier before there's increased morbidity and mortality and more expensive intervention? If so, maybe we can get them early on and get them into medical management—like tobacco cessation, behavior modification, better diet, etc—early enough that it would affect them downstream.
"I thought this was just an excellent study, and the ease and simplicity of the test makes it something that I believe will become widespread. Or at least it should," concluded Lipman.
In 2005, the passage of United States Senate Resolution 56 officially recognized March as Deep-Vein Thrombosis Awareness Month. The effort was spearheaded by Senate cosponsors
Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and moved to raise public awareness of deep-vein thrombosis (DVT)—a condition that affects up to two million Americans annually according to the American Heart Association. Among the many victims was NBC News Correspondent David Bloom. While covering the war in Iraq, Bloom was stricken with a fatal pulmonary embolism (PE), a complication of DVT. “DVT strikes millions unknowingly each year," Senator Specter said. “With this resolution, we hope to raise public awareness for DVT, a serious yet preventable condition, so that others, like David Bloom, will not suffer at its hand.”
About DVT
Deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) is a common but serious medical condition that occurs in approximately 2 million Americans each year. DVT occurs when a thrombus (blood clot) forms in one of the large veins, usually in the lower limbs, leading to either partially or completely blocked circulation. The condition may result in health complications, such as a pulmonary embolism (PE) and even death if not diagnosed and treated effectively.
Learn the risk factors, signs and symptoms for DVT
The symptoms of DVT may be subtle and difficult to detect. When DVT is spotted early and properly treated, the risk of complications is reduced. When left untreated, it may cause severe complications, some even fatal.
At Empire Diagnostic Solutions, we can detect DVT by doing venous ultrasound. If you require an emergency DVT evaluation please call our scheduling department. We can have a technician in your office within two hours.
To learn more about DVT and even take a risk assessment, visit the Coalition to Prevent DVT website at www.preventdvt.org.
EDS has demonstrated its commitment to providing a high level of patient care and quality testing for the diagnosis of vascular disease by achieving accreditation by the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Vascular Disease.
Empire Diagnostic Solutions is now one of the growing number of vascular laboratories in the United States to meet or exceed the ICAVL standards for noninvasive vascular testing. During the accreditation process, every aspect of the laboratory’s daily operation and practice with respect to patient care is assessed and reviewed. Successful accreditation demonstrates patient care practices of the highest quality.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, costing $83.7 billion each year in health services, medications, and lost time from work due to disability. Stroke, an interruption of blood supply to the brain, is the third leading cause of death and disability in the US, with 500,000 new strokes occurring annually.
One American dies every 32 seconds from some sort of vascular disease and each year, 2 million Americans develop blood clots in the legs or “deep vein thrombosis (DVT)”.
Early detection of these life-threatening vascular diseases is possible through the use of noninvasive vascular testing performed by qualified vascular laboratories.
The ICAVL is a non-profit organization established with the support of eleven medical societies including the American College of Cardiology, the Society for Clinical Vascular Surgery, and the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers.
As a testament to our commitment of providing diagnostic patient services of the highest quality, Empire Diagnostic Solutions has received accreditation from the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.
The AIUM is an association designed and dedicated to promoting the safe and effective use of diagnostic ultrasound. The review for potential accreditation is a long and highly detailed process in which all aspects of diagnostic, workflow, and processing procedures are evaluated for unwavering quality.
Receiving accreditation means that EDS has met nationally recognized quality standards and has demonstrated consistent excellence in patient care. Effectively and safely meeting the needs of our referring physicians and patients has always been our number one priority. This latest achievement truly validates our efforts as we continue striving to provide services of unmatched quality.
As part of our goal and desire to continuously improve the quality and level of service we provide, we are pleased to announce the expansion of our testing services.
To further enhance the care you provide for your patients, we are now pleased to offer you Ambulatory 24-hour EEG Monitoring.
Recreating the conditions that might trigger a patient’s seizures or syncopal episodes is difficult in a hospital or office setting. Also, the limited time of a routine electroencephalogram (EEG) may not produce an accurate documentation of seizure activity.
The diagnostic advantages of Ambulatory EEG are well documented. There is no question that obtaining a recording over a prolonged period of time enhances the ability to capture an abnormality or event. Couple this with the advantage of collecting this information while the patient resides in his own environment, and the advantages increase tenfold.
Some of the indications include:
Known seizures, need to r/o breakthrough seizures.
Fainting/near-fainting workup.
Unexplained dizziness.
Changes in mental status, memory loss, dementia.
Unexplained disorders of memory and cognition.
Any reason when regular EEG is indicated and is not revealing.
You will receive more information including a complete list of diagnosis codes shortly. In addition, the most common diagnosis codes will also be added to your referral sheets for ease of ordering.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call us.
Glenn Erckert RT, CT(R), RDMS
Director, Clinical Operations
gerckert@edslive.com
On September 10th, 2009, in cooperation with respected podiatric specialists Andrew Shapiro, DPM and Michael Barkin, DPM, Empire Diagnostic Solutions sponsored a meeting of the Nassau County Podiatric Association entitled, “Diagnostic Testing in Your Office,” where they explored the legalities and benefits of outsourced in-office testing. While indulging their palates with savory prime-aged steaks and an award-winning wine list at Burton & Doyle’s Steakhouse in Great Neck, NY, attendees were treated to an informative and motivational presentation featuring Board-Certified Radiologists, Daniel Beyda M.D. and Mehrad Golzad M.D., as well as medical-legal expert Mathew Levy, Esq.
A similar meeting was held on September 17th in cooperation with podiatric specialists Michael Dellacorte, DPM and Richard Belli, DPM at nearby Morton’s Steakhouse, for members of the Queens County Podiatric Medical Association. Both events had great turnouts and ended with many satisfied, informed, and motivated attendees.
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We’re Opening a New Long Island Location!
To improve our services and better serve our clients and patients, Empire Diagnostic Solutions is pleased to announce the opening of a second office facility on the South Shore of Long Island. The new office, scheduled to open August 1st, 2009, will have all of the image processing and data transfer resources of our main office, providing a more accessible and convenient hub for technologists serving physician accounts in that area. This will result is less travel and stress on our staff, more efficient use of our resources, and faster turnaround times for exam interpretation and reports.
The office is located at: 103 School Street, Lindenhurst NY, 11757.
As part of our goal and desire to continuously improve the quality and level of service we provide, we are pleased to announce the expansion of our testing services.
To further enhance the care you provide for your patients, we are now pleased to offer you Transcranial Doppler Ultrasound (TCD).
TCD allows frequent repeated measurements and continuous monitoring of intracranial vasculature. With it, immediate and real-time detection of changes in cerebrovascular hemodynamics is possible. It can be utilized by any medical specialty to evaluate several neurovascular disorders.
In many places a "complete" stroke workup consists of carotid Doppler and two-dimensional echocardiogram. Unfortunately, this approach misses the important evaluation of intracranial vasculature. A TCD can be the inexpensive, convenient, and simple means to determine which of these patients should be referred for further evaluation. TCD may also be the only mean possible to evaluate intracranial vessels in cases when other radiographic means are contraindicated.
Some of the indications in which TCD can be utilized are:
Vertigo
Syncope
Lack of coordination.
Occlusion and stenosis of carotid arteries.
Generalized ischemic cerebrovascular disease.
Evaluation of occlusive intracranial vascular lesions.
To be used an accurate and effective diagnostic tool, we request that TCD exams be always paired with Carotid Doppler examinations. Subsequently, you will see no diagnosis code choices under “Transcranial Doppler” on the EDS referral sheet. Selection of a diagnosis code under “Carotid Doppler” will also satisfy the TCD diagnosis code requirement.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call us.
Glenn Erckert RT, CT(R), RDMS
Director, Clinical Operations
gerckert@edslive.com
