Vascular disease affects a large portion of the population in the United States. Cardiovascular disease in particular affects nearly half of all adults and it is the leading cause of death among adults in the U.S. Vascular disease includes conditions such as atherosclerosis, peripheral arterial disease, varicose veins, deep vein thrombosis, and carotid artery disease among others. Vascular disease can lead to serious and life-threatening complications like blood clots, stroke, and heart attack.
Despite these serious outcomes, it’s important to note that vascular disease is treatable, and in some cases the effects are reversible when detected early on. With early detection, medical decisionmakers such as vascular surgeons, cardiovascular specialists, and primary care physicians can make informed decisions on treatment for vascular disease.
Doctors can improve patient outcomes and build trust with patients by providing treatment plans informed by accurate, timely screening results. The most noninvasive and accurate way to screen for vascular disease is through convenient vascular ultrasound diagnostic imaging solutions.
Why Vascular Ultrasound is the Best Way to Diagnose Vascular Disease
Vascular ultrasound exams are a safe, proven way to diagnose vascular disease. Vascular ultrasound is a diagnostic imaging technique that has been developed over decades. Ultrasound technology was first developed for medical use in the 1960s as part of the field of radiography, or x-ray imaging. Yet unlike x-ray imaging, ultrasound uses harmless, high-frequency soundwaves to create images of what is going on inside the body. Ultrasound imaging today also uses Doppler technology to create color images and videos of the vascular system. These images and videos can provide precise information on speed and direction of blood flow, which can help diagnose vascular disease.
At established ultrasound companies like Mint Medical, vascular ultrasound exams are performed by highly trained Registered Vascular Technologists (RVTs), who undergo extensive certification. These technologists use state-of-the-art ultrasound equipment to perform highly specialized vascular ultrasound studies that often include a combination of vascular imaging and physiologic exams to provide a holistic picture of a patient’s vascular health.
During a vascular ultrasound exam, RVTs will be able to provide results that can determine the following:
- If valves in the blood vessels are weak
- If the veins are stiff or narrow
- If partial or full blockages are present within the veins
- If blood pressure is normal or abnormal in different parts of the body (ankle, calf, arm, etc.)
Based on these results, physicians can determine what type of vascular disease is present, if any, and what the next steps for treatment should be. Treatment for vascular disease varies based on the type of disease, but it can include everything from lifestyle changes to surgical intervention. Determining the best course of action for a specific patient relies on fast, accurate vascular ultrasound results.
Why Patient Trust Matters and Potential Barriers for Compliance
While expert physicians are responsible for diagnosing vascular disease and recommending a course of treatment, patients have the final say in their health care. Physicians can build trust with their patients, but they are not the sole providers of medical care especially when it comes to the vascular ultrasound screening process. The process often includes several providers, points of contact, and exams. A typical experience with Mint Medical could include the following steps:
- Initial Patient Visit: A patient visits their primary care provider with symptoms and a family history of vascular disease
- Vascular Ultrasound Referral: The primary care provider refers the patient for a vascular ultrasound exam to find out more about their condition
- Exam Scheduling: A patient care coordinator works with the patient to schedule a specialized exam in a vascular clinic, often part of their local hospital
- Specialized Vascular Ultrasound Exam: The patient undergoes a vascular ultrasound exam performed by an experienced Registered Vascular Technologist
- Exam Results Interpretation: Results are interpreted by a specialist (a doctor with a credential as a Registered Physician in Vascular Interpretation or RVPI), and then provided to the referring doctor
- Treatment Recommendation: The primary care provider will make a recommendation for treatment, which could include consultation with a vascular surgeon if necessary
These steps need to happen promptly to provide the best patient care possible. A breakdown in communication, limited availability for exam scheduling, or a delay in ultrasound results can create a poor patient experience and result in a loss of trust. Patients who do not trust their providers and hospital systems to provide a positive experience may be less likely to take recommendations and as a result, may not get the treatment they need.
Compliance is also key for patients to receive necessary treatment. Patient and hospital compliance means convenient scheduling and timely results. Patients are less likely to complete needed vascular ultrasound exams if there is a long waitlist for exams, or if exams are not provided at convenient locations within their existing hospital system. In addition, if results are delayed or inaccurate, patients may not feel they are receiving the best care possible and may lose trust in their providers.
The Mint Medical Approach: Where Quality Meets Convenience
Mint Medical offers end-to-end vascular lab services including lab accreditation and management as well as quality exams performed by skilled RVTs. Hospitals that partner with Mint Medical can rest assured their patients will receive best-in-class care including cutting edge ultrasound technology and high-caliber imaging services.
At Mint Medical, we are committed to excellence in vascular ultrasound. Patients will receive thoughtful care that includes scheduling, exams, interpretation and everything in between. Precision care is what we’re known for, and we continue to strive for excellence with proven results time after time. In fact, our vascular ultrasound studies have a proven correlation rate of over 90% when compared to the ‘gold standard’ of angiograms.
Mint Medical performs more than 30,000 diagnostic vascular ultrasound exams annually and we have served the California market for more than two decades. We are a proven partner to some of the largest hospital systems in the state including Kaiser Permanente.
“With the invaluable help of Mint Medical, over 32,000 of our members [at Kaiser] have completed screening ultrasounds…[this] has allowed us to diagnose over 1,700 aneurysms, 10% of which were large enough to require referral to one of our vascular surgeons.” —Steven Okuhn, MD, Former Vascular Surgeon at Kaiser Permanente
Our service guarantees include rapid turnaround for all patient exams, high quality exams with IAC lab accreditation, and consistent availability. We believe in the importance of accurate results and building patient trust.
It’s clear that Mint Medical is the answer when it comes to providing quality vascular ultrasound services. We have the deep expertise to provide timely results and consistent care that builds patient trust and ensures compliance. Learn more about the services we provide for our hospital partners here.
Guest Contributor: Jordan Galerkin
Sources:
- American Heart Month. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/education/american-heart-month
- Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics. American Heart Association. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000659
- Types of Ultrasound. Ultrasound Quotes. https://www.ultrasoundquotes.com/blog/doppler-vs-duplex/
- Ultrasound History. Radiology Today. https://www.radiologytoday.net/archive/rt_120108p28.shtml
