Discovery 2 Spirometer
Given that spirometers all take measurements of lung function, and given that reimbursements don’t depend on the equipment you use but on the tests themselves and the diagnoses, the financial benefits to your practice in running spirometry lay in the equipment’s ability to streamline your workflow, and save you time.
The basic spirometry test uses CPT code 94010 and requires a printed record of this test. The record can be printed out of a spirometer with a built-in printer, like the Futuremed Discovery 2, or with an external printer, as in the case of the Astra series by SDI or with the Renaissance II by Puritan-Bennett. The most common question we get asked is whether a spirometer does “pre- and post-” testing, as in pre-bronchodilation and post-bronchodilation. This test uses CPT code 94060 and reimburses almost double that of the 94010.
All of these numbers don’t mean anything if you are uncomfortable with the equipment you choose to get. The SDI Astra 200, for example, will only show values, but some doctors would prefer an on-screen display to explain the full volume loop to their patients. Its full-screen counterpart, that Astra 300, does that, but costs a little more.
Some doctors would rather not spend the time connecting a spirometer to a computer to download data and print the graph for their records. In that case, a spirometer with a built-in printer provides the greatest benefit in terms of time and workflow. The Discovery 2 or the Microlab 3500s would match these needs quite well.
Lastly, of course, profitability is maximized by a smaller initial outlay! Take advantage of the last 2 weeks of the SDI Stimulus promo, which ends April 30. Reduced prices and a free fingertip pulse oximeter help with keeping costs low.
Filed under: Medical Equipment, spirometer , cpt code, Medical Equipment, medical equipment guide, spirometer, spirometer guide, spirometer profitability, spirometry
