good internal wrap with the TIF. That way, you don't have the side
effects associated with the full Nissen, such as potential difficulty or
inability to burp or vomit.
Of course, we also offer many other types of digestive-related proce-
dures, including radiofrequency treatments for Barrett's esophagus,
ERCPs (endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography) and, very
commonly, endoscopic ultrasonography, which is a diagnostic tool for
pancreatic cancer, cysts and lesions.
Upfront costs
You want to do all your testing and prerequisite testing on site. That
provides a big boost in revenue. The capital purchases for the workup
are relatively reasonable in the grand scheme of things. The return on
investment can be huge and you know that after so many cases, you'll
start having a positive return on your investment. For TIF itself, there
are no capital machines to purchase — just the disposable catheters
and fasteners as needed.
We were fortunate in that the 2 physicians who initially drove our
program had already been eager to get trained on how to perform
the TIF procedure and offer it at our facility. Since then, we've had 4
others get the necessary training.
Beyond that, it's a matter of getting administration on board, having a
coordinator who can develop the patient pathway and facilitate all the
steps along the way, including testing and education, and having mar-
keting available to help you get the word out. The word is heartburn.
And there are countless potential patients who have it and want your
help.
OSM
2 0 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9
Ms. Brady (kriston.brady@steward.org) is the GI coordinator of the Endo-
scopy Department and the Heartburn Center at Easton (Pa.) Hospital.
