Of the tests Life Line offers, the only one recommended by the government is the aneurysm screening, and then only for certain patients. AVA's screenings always have doctors on site. Similar tests are often offered in hospital and doctor's office settings, and some organizations, such as the AVA, periodically offer free screenings, some held in hotels, patient-care facilities and other locations. The results showed "remarkably good agreement" between the two groups' aneurysm studies, and an "excellent level of agreement" in the carotid artery studies, according to the study. In 2002 the firm conducted a small study comparing its carotid and aortic artery measurements to similar testing results from the Cleveland Clinic Foundation's Vascular Laboratory. Technologists called sonographers conduct the testing, print the images and mail them to physicians - board-certified cardiologists, vascular surgeons and radiologists - who interpret the images and send reports of their findings to a processing center, which mails results to patients within three weeks. "When a block of images are presented after the fact, the physician who's interpreting them doesn't have the ability" to go back and examine the patient himself or ask additional questions, he said. "They are taking somewhat credible examinations and morphing them in ways that may not be optimal for patient care," said James Borgstede, chairman of the American College of Radiology's board of chancellors. There are also concerns about allowing a technologist to make potentially critical medical decisions on site, without the aid of a physician. Some physicians also worry that no doctors are on site during the screenings, and the technologists may not be properly credentialed. is more likely to cause both physical and psychological injury." "On the contrary, the failure to learn about previously unrecognized, potentially life- or limb-threatening disease. "We do not believe that accurate knowledge about the status of one's health can produce psychological harm," Manganaro e-mailed. "A lot of the screening is for the wealthy well," he said. Typical Life Line screening clients have no symptoms and are over age 40, the firm says.įor "people under age 55 without risk factors, the yield is going to be very low," said William Flinn, head of the division of vascular surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and vice chairman of the American Vascular Association (AVA). Some experts also expressed concern about screening services that do not require patients to have an elevated risk for the conditions they test for. A federal panel examining the value of such screenings found that the potential harms of the tests - including negative psychological effects among those testing positive for aneurysms, and false positives, which often result in unnecessary medication and surgeries - outweighed the benefits of screening for most groups. Not everyone thinks these tests are a good idea. Vans based in Baltimore, Richmond and the District visit about 22 locations each month in the Washington area. Life Line is one of many commercial enterprises providing screening services for a fee to anyone who pays. The four tests screen for: plaque buildup in the carotid artery of the neck, which can lead to a stroke an enlarged abdominal aorta, a higher risk for a potentially deadly rupture peripheral arterial disease, a hardening of the arteries of the leg and low bone density in the heel, which can indicate the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis. Neither Medicare nor most private insurers cover Life Line screenings. Locally, the company charges $109 for the three-test "vascular package" and $129 for a "complete wellness package," which adds the osteoporosis test. The firm also promotes its services on its Web site. You don't have to wait for a medical problem to be screened for your risk of vascular disease or osteoporosis." And the screenings are "fast, painless, accurate. The annual screenings give her peace of mind at an affordable price, she said.Ī Life Line brochure mailed to homes in the Washington area proclaims, "We can help you Avoid a Stroke. "I've been here about five or six times," the Falls Church resident said. Lucille Ferrante, 84, has been getting screened annually since learning about the service through a story in a community newspaper.
1 Comment
|
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |