The Increasing Role of Medical Ancillary Services

The owner and president of Physician Ancillary Management, Chris Manfuso, is a part of an increasingly important industry in the medical profession. As president of a medical ancillary company, Chris Manfuso assists physicians with rounding out their practices with products and services that would be found outside of the business.

Medical ancillary services are not only an increasingly vital part of the health of a practice, but they also are convenient for the patient.

Medical ancillary services fall into a wide range of services and products. In addition to lab care and dispensing of medication, these services include imaging and spirometry, among other services. Of the most common services, 73 percent of internal medicine physicians and 84 percent of family medicine use electrocardiogram services. However, in choosing to incorporate ancillary services, physicians have to keep in mind a few considerations. Many physicians make the mistake of purchasing services and products for their practice when they do not necessarily need them, which ultimately is not a cost-effective way to run the practice or business. Instead, physicians should determine the practices’ needs to determine what equipment and services to purchase, much like a business.

More significantly, adding ancillary services to practice can improve the visit for the patient. In the past, if a patient had to have lab work or were given a prescription, they would have to make two or three stops, depending on the visit. Providing these services replaces having to visit different places with a one-stop trip to the doctor.