Finding new and innovative ways to cut costs and optimize operations has always been a priority, but priority turns into necessity in a tight economy. DOTmed spoke with University Nuclear and Diagnostics COO and Senior Vice President Avi Soffer to get a glimpse of how UND helps nuclear stress test labs save money and improve operations while providing better patient care.

Nuclear stress testing is considered the number one income producer for many if not a majority of cardiologists. For being such a critical revenue driver, many stress test labs and internist practices are still rife with inefficiencies, says Soffer. This is exactly what the founders of Florida-based UND realized before establishing the consulting and service-oriented business eight years ago.

"Stress testing has been the gold standard for detecting heart disease for 20-something years. It's a life saver," says Soffer. "We help facilities perform better for their communities and that is a win-win scenario."
UND came into being in 2001 after a few private consultations grew into a solid business model with lots of opportunity for expansion. One of the cofounders and now CEO, Armando Clavero, was a certified nuclear technician for 17 years and attended medical school in Spain. The company was originally located at Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood, Fla., but rapid growth prompted a relocation to a new 5,000-square-foot facility in Davie, Fla.

With a 52-point checklist and thorough analysis of equipment, expenses, staffing and scheduling, UND determines accurate cost per test and streamlines operations. With the implementation of new procedures and trained personnel, UND has been able to cut facilities' operating costs by 20 percent, and in "extreme cases" up to 40 percent. UND is now national and has performed practice assessments in 12 states across the country.

The Services

The company's top selling services are packaged as SmartLab and CompleteLab. Organizations seeking to overhaul or add a brand new nuclear stress test lab to their facility would choose CompleteLab, a turn-key solution including trained technicians and equipment. UND can bring in new or refurbished equipment within three days and offers all the big names in gamma cameras, including GE, Siemens and Philips. The service covers everything from initial licensing to employee badges.

SmartLab is a simplified version of CompleteLab and focuses on improving the efficiency of existing operations. UND does a rundown on everything from the cost of medical isotopes to labor, including nuclear physicists, cardiologists, and technicians and finds ways to cut cost without cutting care. UND retains a well-trained team of nuclear technicians who go from practice to practice or the company may hire somebody specifically for the facility, depending on their needs.

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