Is there a downside to the medical device offered by VITAL SYSTEM Sales? The answer seems to be a definite "no." The device performs 37 non-invasive tests that are able to help patients who are at a high risk of having a stroke, or who have issues that they may not know about – such as diabetes, hypertension, vascular abnormalities, disturbances with the digestive system, or others – that could be critical if not discovered and taken care of as soon as possible.
That is one of the most important things about the device – it really does work and it helps patients find out about problems they didn’t know they had. Most people go to a doctor because they have one particular issue, but the doctor doesn’t test them for anything else because they aren’t aware that other things might be a problem. And the procedure is fast. The test can be administered in 15 minutes, and the doctor can then receive the results in 15 minutes. So if something is wrong, the physician can tell the patient, "Listen, you may be about to have a stroke, you better go to see a specialist." The patient doesn’t have to come back a day or two later, or wait a week for a lab to send the results.
The device works by having a practitioner attach a connector on one finger and another on an arm, and two connectors on the bottom of the feet. All are then connected to the computer, and the computer reads what’s going on through the electric currency in the body. The concept is remarkable in the way it works.
However, perhaps the most intriguing point is that VITAL SYSTEM Sales is presenting this medical device to doctors at no charge. The company is offering it at no out-of-pocket expense, so doctors can utilize it to both help patients and increase their own source of revenue for their practice. The machine costs $150,000, but the company gives it to doctors, who then pay the company a fee-for-service of $250 for each time they test a patient. The doctor collects the money from the insurance companies and can keep the difference. All insurance companies pay for the test – they want it to be administered because it can save them money in the long run.
The training needed to utilize the machine is minimal. The company sends out two technicians with the machine, along with a computer and a printer – all for free. The technicians train the doctor, although the test is mostly managed by nurses or assistants. They teach them everything from A-to-Z, and the testers can start to use it right away. The tester gets the report, and if there’s an issue, the doctor can step in and prescribe what to do, such as go to a specialist. The doctor also supplies a copy of the test to the patient for free – either by printout or by email – so the patient can have it with him and show the results to the specialist.
The whole procedure of installing and training takes less than an hour, and it is considered to be very easy because the computer actually tells you what to do. In addition, the machine is portable, so if a patient can’t come to the office for some reason, the doctor can send a nurse to the patient’s home to administer the test right there.
A final benefit is that when doctors receive the machine, they have no obligation to keep it; they do not have to sign a lease or purchase agreement. If for any reason the doctor isn’t happy, the company takes back the machine with no financial penalty to the doctor.
So what about a downside? Apparently there isn’t any, as it’s a positive thing in both the health world and the financial world. Doctors sometimes struggle to make their work benefit them financially. They go to college for a number of years to earn their degree, and then they may open a clinic or work for another doctor, and they’re limited in what they can do. This is a way for doctors to make money, but most importantly, to help people – because the testing could point out serious problems.
It’s a win-win-win situation for doctors, patients, and insurance companies.
