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Sentient A Brief History. Founded in 1995 as the first national provider of Intra-operative Monitoring (IOM) servicesFocused on providing both technologist and remote physician reading servicesSince inception, have monitored over 100,000 cases
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1. Sentient Medical Systems Health Tech Net Meeting
December 14, 2007
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2. Sentient – A Brief History Founded in 1995 as the first national provider of Intra-operative Monitoring (IOM) services
Focused on providing both technologist and remote physician reading services
Since inception, have monitored over 100,000 cases
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3. Sentient – A Brief History Neurocare business was introduced in 2004 to focus on diagnostic market
Company sold to Dubin Clark, a private equity firm, in February 2007
New management team appointed after transaction – Jeff Ferguson as CEO; Andy Masetti as CFO
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4. Sentient – By the numbers Net revenue of $19mm to $22mm, gross revenue run rate at $40mm
11k IOM procedures; 3k Neurocare procedures
IOM supported by 75-80 full time technologists with 5 reading physicians plus CMO (MD, PhD)
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5. Sentient – By the numbers Neurocare with 7 technicians plus one of “founders” of the business
Perform services in 22 states
Procedures performed at 200 hospitals with billings to over 500 insurance carriers (20 major ones)
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6. Sentient – Other business points Support provided for all levels of complexity
Technologists have 4 yr degrees and go through a rigorous training program
Physicians all have sub-specialty training in clinical neurophysiology and monitor approx. 2000 cases annually
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7. Sentient – Other business points Perform research and development activities partnering with medical universities and centers
Relationship driven business…contract with the hospital, “sale” to the surgeon
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8. Sentient – Why remote physician reads: Allows oversight in real time to optimize signals and to approve and select the choice of monitoring procedures
Allows a consultative interaction with the surgeon, and by placing the signals in an appropriate clinical context, integrates and optimizes data relative to the clinical condition of the patient
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9. Sentient – Why remote physician reads: Peer to peer communication and advice
Superior knowledge of neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, neurology and neuropharmacology (if supervised by a neurologist)
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10. Sentient – State of the Industry Relatively new
Highly fragmented; many players
Price competitive, with in-house and out sourcing options
Wide variety of reimbursement procedures and policies
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11. Sentient – State of the Industry No consensus on number of concurrent cases that can be monitored – critical industry issue
Differing views on medical necessity and reimbursability of physician reads
“What is telemedicine?”
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12. Telemedicine – first issue – How do we communicate? Telephonic
Real time monitoring - snapshot
Streaming data
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13. Telemedicine – Information Technology Issues Working towards using existing hospital network infrastructure – How do we address hospital firewall
Shutting down OR’s to put in required lines
Back at home… how do you “present” cases to physicians…transfer issues between physicians… dealing with “dropped” cases
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14. Telemedicine – Information Technology Issues Facilitating technologist/reading physician communication
Sentient solution (1) – full time contractor to work with top “40” customers to real time monitor enable the hospital network… patient outcome and reimbursement issue
Sentient solution (2) – all new customers must accept real time monitoring
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15. Telemedicine – Privacy issues Protecting confidential data while transmitting patient information
“Masking” patient names during transmissions… “deidentification”
Capturing “instant message” communications with proper archiving
Information Life Cycle Management (ILM) critical for HIPAA compliance
PWSP as Sentient HIPAA consultants
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16. Telemedicine – Reimbursement Issues No Consistent Practices
Medicaid – Some states do, some states don’t
Concurrent reads – How many and how do you reimburse. Medicare guidelines recently reissued.
Some carriers do not recognize or accept remote physician reads (95920)
Corporate Practice of Medicine issues; differing credentialing and licensing requirements
Telephonic – Some do, some don’t, some partial
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17. Telemedicine Summary Committed to process because of improved patient care
Reimbursement issues – Situation is chaotic. Industry needs to work with payors to achieve some level of standardization
IT – Will evolve, but from discussion with med/mal carriers, must move to at least visual real time
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18. Telemedicine Summary Customers – must also have a commitment to telemedicine…spotty, but moving towards embracing concept
Guess – maybe 3-5 years before acceptable standardization. Key is Medicare and top 3-5 carriers.
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