BHN Healthcare Blog

Patients that do not show up for their appointments are a major problem in healthcare. Not only do these no-shows prevent other patients from scheduling appointments, but they put their own health at risk. Frustratingly, they also cost medical practices money, as an absent patient also represents a lost opportunity for revenue – up to $300 per missed appointment. There are many factors that affect no-show rates, including travel time to the doctor’s office. Here, the solution to the all too common problem will be discussed.

Urodynamics testing is as much an art as it is a science. Unfortunately, there are many variables inherent to the way testing takes place that can lead to poor results. Here, how to know whether your urodynamics test results are poor will be discussed.

Spina bifida patients have unique needs related to urologic care due to the nature of this disease. Here, routine urodynamics care for patients with spina bifida will be discussed.

What is Spina Bifida

Spina bifida¹ is a birth defect that is characterized by the incomplete closing of the backbone and associated membranes around the spinal cord. While the lower back is the most common location for spina bifida, in rare instances children may experience this disorder in the neck or thoracic spine.

The mildest form of spinal bifida is occulta², in which children are asymptomatic or have very mild symptoms. In this instance, children commonly have a spot on their back where a gap in the spine is located, such as a dimple, dark spot, swelling, or a hairy patch.

Meingocele is more serious than spina bifida occulta, but generally only causes mild problems due to the sac of fluid that is present at the spinal gap.

Did you know that 72% of ALL U.S. Internet users have gone online in the past year specifically for health-related information.  Additionally,  77% of that group (i.e. 77% of the 72%) say their research started at Google, Bing or another general search engine - not web portals like WebMD or HealthGrades.  What are you doing to drive your business's growth online?

Small business owners know the value of marketing, so why don’t more doctors and urologists perfect this art? In short, there simply isn’t enough time in the day for most urologists to engage in effective marketing. Here, five marketing hacks for urology practices will be discussed, which can change the flow of your business and help you with marketing.

In the past, urologists have enjoyed high profit margins brought on by a slow and steady stream of patients. However, this trend has changed considerably in recent years, with an influx of patients and very thin profit margins. How can the profitability of a urodynamics testing operation be increased? Here, five methods for improving revenues will be discussed.

Urodynamic assessment has become a necessary tool for the evaluation of lower urinary tract dysfunction in children. However, there are subtleties that exist when performing these studies in children relative to adults. As a result, certain adaptations must be made in order to achieve results that are both accurate and reproductive when dealing with pediatric patients. The ways in which urodynamics varies between children and adults will be discussed, as well as the differences that occur during testing.

Incontinence is an uncomfortable subject that affects millions of men and women worldwide. Traditionally, an incontinence sufferer would visit his or her primary physician and then be referred to a urologist, depending on symptom severity. Recently, a number of OB-GYN practices have begun offering incontinence care. Here, whether OB-GYN practices should provide care for incontinent patients will be discussed.

When it comes to bowel disorders, there is significant overlap among various medical fields. Anorectal manometry (ARM) is a diagnostic tool used in the determination of bowel disorders such as chronic constipation and fecal incontinence. Gastroenterologists commonly administer ARM tests, but should OBGYN physicians offer anorectal manometry as well?

Urodynamics is the study of the bladder and urethra, and is generally used as a means for diagnosing disorders such as urinary incontinence, benign prostate hyperplasia, pelvic organ prolapse, and other medical conditions that affect the functioning of the lower urinary tract. This article will go through the main types of commonly performed urodynamic tests, current problems in urodynamics and a theoretical approach on how to overcome them.

Urologists must continually change with the times in order to ensure their survival. While other practices see little change in general clientele throughout the decades, urologists must continually evolve in order to keep up with current market trends due to the relative elective nature of their service. Here, a few areas in which urology practices will change over the coming decade to reflect technological advancements, politics, and the changing economy will be discussed.