Want to Get the Most Out of Your Clinic
The growing demand for regenerative treatments such as platelet-rich plasma and stem cell injections has resulted in an explosion of clinics offering regenerative medicine therapies. Despite the variety of clinics to choose from, a paper that has highlighted alarming variances in treatment strategy in the United States has come to light. Experts are concerned that many clinics offering regenerative therapies are profiteering from the high-dollar, out-of-pocket price of injections, but lack the consistent quality control needed.
While doing your research, you will need to determine the following:
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Is the clinic grading candidacy?
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Who is doing the procedure?
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What type of cells is being used?
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How is the clinic processing cells?
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Is the procedure performed with image guidance?
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Are the clinic tracking and reporting outcomes?
Who is performing the procedure?
Currently, there is minimal regulation with regards to who can and cannot perform stem cell injections, and as yet, there is no standard training program that physicians need to attend prior to offering stem cell treatment. For this reason, there are a variety of doctors with different skill levels offering such treatments, including orthopedic surgeons, interventional radiologists, physiatrists, plastic surgeons, anesthesiologists, etc. As with most medical procedures, the injection of stem cells into a joint call for a careful understanding of human anatomy and medical imaging. So if you are considering this treatment, it is crucial to make sure that the doctor you choose has the knowledge and skill to provide safe and successful results.
Is the clinic grading candidacy?
When evaluating which patients will benefit from regenerative medicine therapy, it is important to make sure they are stratifying patients into categories based on the likelihood of success. With almost any procedure, there are patients that are good candidates, fair candidates, and poor candidates, and regenerative treatments are no different.
If you would like information about the services and products that 417 Sports Medicine and Orthopedics: Eric M Gifford, MD has to offer you, and if you live in or around the Springfield, MO region, please feel free to call us at (417) 771-3147 anytime.