When you’re in pain, waiting on treatment for weeks or months can feel like a lifetime. But that’s the reality many patients have faced in recent years due to overwhelming demand for ultrasound-guided injections; used to relieve conditions such as joint pain, arthritis and inflammation.
At Fowler Kennedy Sport Medicine Clinic, the only ultrasound unit available was purchased more than a decade ago. Although in good-working condition, its resolution capabilities are limited and one of the probes needed replacing. At the same time, demand for the machine, which is currently shared by six physicians, is rapidly growing, as are wait times to use it.
Thankfully, the generosity of donors has changed the situation for the better. Recently, Fowler Kennedy was able to use donor funds to purchase a brand-new ultrasound unit as well as a replacement probe for the existing unit. Not only does the device feature cutting-edge technology, but it’s availability at Fowler Kennedy means patients won’t have to wait months to travel to the hospital to undergo similar procedures. This is beneficial for two reasons: first, it limits the pain, discomfort, and inconvenience experienced by patients, and second, it helps reduce demands on the hospital.
The new ultrasound unit is already being put to good use by Fowler Kennedy physicians, including Dr. Steven Joseph, Dr. Darryl Putzer, Dr. Tarek El-Chabib as well as orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Ryan Degen.
Dr. Joseph is excited to use the new device – as well as the old one, which will remain in use for appropriate procedures – to treat more patients in less time. “Having a second machine, given that we’re seeing an increase in volumes related to technology like this, we’re able to book more patients and use it more
often,” Dr. Joseph says. “In the end, it’s just better for patient care.”
Dr. Putzer agrees, pointing to what he expects will be drastic reductions in wait times to undergo ultrasound procedures. “I can send all my patients to the hospital and it would be a 6 to 8 month wait,” Dr. Putzer says. “But with this [ultrasound], if you showed up in my clinic tomorrow and I didn’t have
time to do it then, I could probably see you within a week or two.”
For his part, Dr. El-Chabib has already seen the new device in action. “I had a patient with chronic shoulder pain,” Dr. El-Chabib said. Using the new ultrasound unit, “I performed a bicep tendon sheath injection. I left a follow-up appointment open-ended and he made one just to call me and say ‘you did
a great job, thank you so much for fixing my shoulder.’”
Looking ahead, the Fowler Kennedy doctors expect the new donor-funded ultrasound unit to further help Fellows become acquainted with relevant procedures. “Educating the Fellows to become adept at this is going to be easier … because we have a second machine,” Dr. Joseph said. “As we look at trying to include a certification or module for ultrasound-guided teaching in our program, without this it would be a lot harder for us to do.”
These outcomes for patients living with chronic pain wouldn’t be possible without the help of donors who care.