We (2 physicians) run a physicians' office lab, have a CBC machine and a chemistry analyzer, which makes a small profit monthly. We do EKG, spirometry & Holters also.
We have been through all the other expanded services: contract services for office sonograms & Dopplers, DEXA machine, basic X-ray for CXRs & KUBs, treadmill stress, flex sigs. As "quality control" requirements, over-reads, equipment replacement, repairs & component costs have risen and reimbursements haven't, we gave up on these. We used to dispense common meds as well, but the pharmacy industry convinced the state to impose onerous requirements, so our sick patients now have to travel cross town and wait 30 minutes to pay more.
We always thought we could do a better job with these services, and our patients agreed. And as Leslie says, why just let an inferior provider collect the charges instead of us? We have to review the results with the patients and apologize for their bad service as well! Did we over utilize -- I doubt it, it is time consuming to add these services to an office practice, and my time has value to me.
But our political leaders have decided that personal service and patient satisfaction is trumped by superficially cheap prices (though typically paying more due to rampant fraud and waste). They want to kill us off and the patients be damned.
