Practice Management

  • 1.  How do you handle spouses?

    Posted 07-23-2019 14:36
    Since this came up in a recent post about children, I want to know if other ultrasound units have policies (official or not) on patients' spouses.  My techs are very resistant t have spouses present in the room because 1) spouses ask many questions 2) spouses often video-record the survey with their phone 3) they say they can't focus when there are spouses present.
    If a patient comes with a spouse (or other adult): do you automatically invite all spouses? Do you allow them in anytime but only if a patient requests it?  For anatomy survey, do you allow some "spouse-free scanning time" for the tech and then invite the spouse (say 20 minutes later)? 

    Thank you

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    Georges Sylvestre
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  • 2.  RE: How do you handle spouses?

    Posted 07-25-2019 11:11
    we pretty much allow as many others in the room as the patient wants, provided there is space in the room and they aren't disruptive.  we don't allow videotaping of the scan, but sometimes we will let them video a clip of the heartbeat, or something simple like that.   we also allow children, but that can sometimes get complicated for obvious reasons.

    oh, and from the title of your post, i thought you were asking a totally different question....I never try to "handle" my spouse - she rules over me!!!  :) 

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    Nathan Fox
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  • 3.  RE: How do you handle spouses?

    Posted 07-26-2019 10:11
    We allow as many adult and older children as the patient desires. Children < 12 must be accompanied by an adult. If many start asking too many questions from the tech, which understandably can be distracting, the tech politely asks them to have her/him scan for some time then she/he (and the doc) will be open to answering all their questions, share pictures with them, etc. In most cases, that resolves the concern and keep the patient and her family/friends happy. If an abnormality is discovered, we ask the patient if she still wants everyone in the room or if some may wait in the waiting area. It is always the patient's decision, including who attends vaginal scanning. For procedures, we try and limit to 1-2 adults. The only real limitation is during the flu season when young children are discouraged from being anywhere in the hospital.

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    Fadi Bsat
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  • 4.  RE: How do you handle spouses?

    Posted 07-27-2019 13:24
    We do the same as Fadi. Tony

    Sent from my iPad




  • 5.  RE: How do you handle spouses?

    Posted 08-02-2019 17:37
    We do the same.  Obstetric ultrasound is obviously different from a social perspective as other imaging studies.  We allow for as many non-disruptive family members/friends in the room that still allows the sonographer to appropriately perform their job.  If for any reason there is a compromise of their ability to perform their imaging duties, we adjust this policy and step in.  We do have a strict no videotaping or facetime use during the study policy (and we notify the patient ahead of time), as this can also distract the sonographer; however there are sometimes extenuating circumstances for which we may go outside our guidelines (e.g. husband deployed oversees, gestational carrier with intended parents outside the country or in a different state).

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    Thomas Lee
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  • 6.  RE: How do you handle spouses?

    Posted 08-02-2019 21:23
    The videotaping is a very interesting topic. We also do not allow videotaping and have a policy to that effect. The primary reason is a privacy matter as the sonographers do not want to be videotaped while scanning. However, we know everyone has a cellphone that can record discreetly so we have signs in each room on that policy and assure the patient and her family that they can have a copy of the whole study (with better quality). We also offer to have them videotape the screen up-close for a bit at the end of the study. This makes everyone happy.