From the March 2018 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine
Financial considerations are also a concern. Even for the indications that are FDA approved, insurance coverage is inconsistent, often requiring a prolonged insurance appeals process, which is not always successful. While care as part of a clinical trial is often at little or no cost to the patient, the studies and the devices are costly for institutions. However, many believe that the advantage that focused ultrasound offers, incisionless image-guided surgery, is worth investing in.
Researchers, patients and their families are the passionate pioneers that are so vital to making focused ultrasound a standard of care. The Focused Ultrasound Foundation has also been critical to the advancement of the field, both in supporting important clinical trials and in raising awareness of the promise of this therapy. Together, we must push the boundaries and drive collaboration, not only among the medical disciplines, but also among institutions, academia and manufacturers. The field of medicine has reached a turning point, where noninvasive therapies are the next frontier, and focused ultrasound has the potential to be an answer for countless patients.
About the author: Tim Meakem, M.D., is the chief medical officer for the Focused Ultrasound Foundation (www.fusfoundation.org). He is a board- certified anesthesiologist and has been involved with innovative treatment technologies for more than 15 years. Back to HCB News
