If your doctor orders a Magnetic Resonance Imaging scan (MRI) or an Computed Tomography scan (CT scan), there are very valuable pieces of information that can be provided to assist in diagnosing or ruling out medical conditions in providing your medical treatment.
When it comes to scheduling MRIs or CT scans, many people schedule the tests as outpatient procedures at a local hospital. And while hospital MRIs and hospital CT scans are certainly an option, many patients are not aware that they have non-hospital MRI and CT options too.
Here are five advantages to using non-hospital MRI and CT scan centers:
- Quality. The equipment used by most accredited non-hospital centers for MRIs and CT scans is often the same brand and quality technology as is used in hospital settings, and the technologist performing the tests in both setting have the same level of training and certifications. So, the quality of the testing and care you’ll receive is the same, regardless of where you choose to have the test(s) conducted. But it is important to confirm that you are going to an accredited imaging facility.
- Cost. MRIs and CT scans can be expensive tests because of the initial and ongoing costs of the high end technology, and because you need skilled technicians to conduct the tests. Depending on the type of MRI you need and what part of the country you live in, costs can range anywhere from $700 – $5,000 or more! While exact costs vary from region to region and state to state, you will generally pay significantly more money to have your MRI or CT scan performed in a hospital setting. When you choose a non-hospital location for tests, you can save hundreds and sometimes even thousands of dollars for the exact same test, because you aren’t paying for all of the overhead and facility fees hospitals charge.
- Intimidation. For many people, setting foot in a hospital can be intimidating or fear-inducing, because of the sterile, institutional feel of many hospitals or because of the tendency to associate hospitals with sick loved ones. In contrast, non-hospital MRI or CT testing facilities tend to have a friendlier neighborhood feel to them. You don’t need a map to find your way to where you’ll have the test performed, and you don’t need a trail of breadcrumbs to remember where you parked your car.
- Insurance. Sometimes, people assume that they need to have their medical testing performed in a hospital setting in order to have it covered under their health insurance. In reality, non-hospital MRI and CT facilities accept almost all commercial insurance plans, as well as Medicare and Medicaid.
- Transparency. When you choose a non-hospital MRI or CT center, you have access to a world of information at your fingertips online or just a phone call away about the facility and staff, equipment, scheduling options and transportation options for your procedure.
While the quality and results of the tests you receive in both locations are virtually the same, assuming you will pay the same amount of money at either place can be an expensive mistake. To learn more about non-hospital options for MRIs or CT scans contact American Health Imaging today at (855) MRI-CHOICE.