Comparison of US utilization and technical costs before and after establishment of 24-hour in-house coverage for US examinations

PURPOSE: To compare data regarding the cost and number of ultrasonographic (US) examinations performed for 6 months, before and after institution of 2 4-hour in-house sonographer coverage. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data for a 6-month period during which US services w ere provided by a sonographer on call from 11 PM to 7 AM were compared with data for a 6-month period during which a sonographer was in house during t his shift. RESULTS: With 11 phn to 7 AM on-call coverage, the sonographers performed 1 47 examinations in a 6-month period, an average of 0.81 examination per shi ft. After institution of in-house coverage for this shift, 792 VS examinati ons were performed in 6 months, an average of 4.3 examinations per shift. T he cost for 11 PM to 7 AM in-house sonographer coverage for 6 months was ap proximately $16,000 more than that for on-call coverage. This cost would be offset by revenues from one additional examination per night. The cost per examination for the 11 PM to 7 AM shift decreased from $124.70 to $43.33. CONCLUSION: At the authors' institution, 24-hour in-house sonographer cover age resulted in additional cost, which was offset by revenues from addition al examinations. There was nearly a fivefold increase in the number of US e xaminations performed per shift. These examinations were performed more exp ediently, enabling more rapid patient triage.