- Educate
your patients & community about oral cancer
The stereotypical demographic has changed from years past. While
the traditional risk factors (smoking, drinking, family history, etc.) still
apply, the fastest growing demographic of new oral cancer cases is younger
patients without any of the traditional risk factors. Patients need to be
aware and understand that everyone is at risk and should be screened annually
for oral cancer. This is our industry’s cancer and we need to educate and
make a difference in our communities. Forward Science works with each of
our clients to help you spread the word and differentiate your practice.
- Use
adjunctive screening technology
Did you know that 69% of oral cancers are found in their later
stages? Fluorescence technology for early discovery of this growing
epidemic has continued to evolve and allows you to identify abnormalities such
as oral cancer, pre-cancer and other abnormal lesions at an earlier stage, thus
saving lives. Adjunctive devices that incorporate this proven technology have
been simplified and made to be cost-efficient. With devices like OralID that
allow clinicians to use the latest technology with no cost per patient, oral
cancer screening has become a no-brainer.
- Make
sure EVERYONE on your team is trained
Like anything else you implement into your practice, training is
key. Everyone in your practice, from front office to back, needs to be
100% comfortable talking to patients about the current statistics and why
everyone needs to be screened, how the technology works, how to present the
screening to the patient and do so with passion! If you’re going to talk
the talk, you need to walk
- To
Charge or not to charge
Enhanced oral cancer screening is a service you provide, and it is
perfectly acceptable to expect an increase in revenue in return for the
service. How to charge for enhanced oral cancer screening can vary from
office to office and can increase your revenue significantly if you
choose. When you are thinking about whether “to charge or not to charge,”
remember that there is no right or wrong answer. By making the simple choice to
incorporate this technology into your practice, you could be making a
life-changing decision for your patients.
- Testing
If during the screening an abnormal area is found, the typical protocol
is to schedule the patient back for a follow up in approximately 2 weeks.
If the lesion is still present and continues exhibit a loss of fluorescence, we
will then move to the next step of the protocol; diagnostic testing. CytID is a
simple and non-invasive test that will give a diagnostic result read by a
pathologist on what is happening on a cellular level. CytID liquid based
cytology is used “when you need to know more”, and is not a replacement for the
standard of care biopsy. This will help you gain more information regarding the
lesion, so we can have a more informed plan of action. In the common occurrence
that the results come back normal, the patient’s mind will be at ease, but you
as the clinician can also rest assured that you provided the best quality care.