Re: Follow-up paps/ThinPrep
From: art fougner, md (evsono@pipeline.com)
Mon Mar 15 08:40:45 1999
one definite advantage re: thin prep is that hpv typing can be done on
the specimen should it be ascus. in this way, one can get a better idea
of how intensive the f/u should be.
art
"of course, that's just my opinion. i could be wrong."
dennis miller
At Sun, 14 Mar 1999, Jay Kulkin wrote:
>
>While the practice may not use this as a profit center, is it a cost center
>finanically and emotionally for the patient, which may be substantial, if
>unnecessary colpos/bx's are done as a result of false positives?
>
>Jay
>
>At 11:55 AM 3/14/99 -0600, you wrote:
>>My practice hands out a homemade information sheet about ThinPrep to
>>women as they check in for their annual exams. It is *not* from the
>>company, but something my partner and i wrote about a year ago, when we
>>decided to offer ThinPrep as our "high tech" pap. We do not deal with
>>AutoPap or Papnet now for simplicity's sake. My partner's wife is a
>>cytopathologist, and this may have influenced us, although she is not
>>involved at the lab that does our paps--either kind.
>>
>>We tell the patient in the handout that the ThinPrep is more accurate,
>>and that the extra cost--$50 versus $25 for a regualr pap--may be the
>>patient's responsibility. The lab bills the carrier, and if the carrier
>>doesn't cover a ThinPrep, then the patient is billed. In that regard,
>>my practice isn't helped or hurt economically by the patient's pap
>>choice.
>>
>>In practical terms, I do not encourage ThinPreps, and usually will
>>flatly tell the low risk folks ready to spend the money (most of whom
>>can do so without thinking twice about it) to save it for dinner one
>>night! However, and depending on the patient, they get what they want.
>>There are a few ASCUS folks, or people who have old cryos, etc., whom I
>>actually encourage to do the ThinPrep.
>>
>>If anyone wants a copy of the handout, it is in MS Works, and I can
>>email/attach it, or mail it, or fax it. Please email me privately.
>>
>>Regarding followup, my practice doesn't have a system, and we should. We
>>entrust the patients to actually do that which is asked, and to bear
>>responsibility. How foolish.
>>
>>Garry
>>
>>--
>>Garry E. Siegel, M.D., FACOG
>>Private Practice
>>Roswell, Ga.
>>
>--
>Jay M. Kulkin, MD MBA
>Medical Director BCBS of Georgia
>office 770-386-0640 ext. 17
>office e mail-jkulkin@bcbs-ga.com
>
--
art fougner, md
SonoScan/Genetic Sciences
forest hills, ny
evsono@pipeline.com
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