Today we’d like to introduce you to Tara Cook.
Hi Tara, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am an RVT, RDMS accredited Sonographer. My ultrasound experience started 20+ years ago throughout the whole greater Houston area in the best Medical Center on earth.
I have seen the industry’s fluidity and rode the waves that brought me to open my own ultrasound clinic. It’s definitely a dream come true for me and my family (hubby and two boys) during what I believe is perfect timing amid all the high deductibles and high insurance premiums we are all faced with.
I have chosen a simple concept: step out of the insurance box and have a Direct Pay facility so that you may have a personalized, exam-focused, low-cost, high-quality diagnostic exam that is read by a Board-Certified Radiologist and is included in your one-time payment** for all diagnostic exams.
If you have private insurance and you wish to make a claim with them (this excludes Medicare and Medicaid) I can provide you the essential Diagnostic and CPT codes that will be needed for you to file.
I will happily send your referring Doctor a preliminary report the same day as your exam and a final report within 3-5 business days afterwards.
To schedule an appointment, please visit our website at totalcareultrasound.com, or feel free to call and schedule an appointment over the phone.
Thank you, Tara RVT, RDMS
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Being a direct pay facility definitely has challenges being “out of the box” for an imaging facility that does not take insurance. I get a lot of callers who just simply hang up when they hear that I do not accept insurance. I usually just call them back, and hopefully, they give me a chance to explain, and at the same time, I tell them what exactly to ask for when they do call a facility that does accept insurance so that they are able to get the exact cost amount when using their insurance and most will find that I am still way less expensive and they then in turn book the appointment with me.
I have found that by simply educating people that there are other ways of getting medical care. The direct pay method offers quicker appointment times, which means quicker results and quicker solutions to healing.
It’s a win-win for all.
As you know, we’re big fans of Total Care Ultrasound. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Total Care Ultrasound business model/brand is simple: Faster service = Faster Results, so you can heal faster at a much lower cost. Our prices are usually a third of what the exam would cost at a traditional imaging center.
I have chosen a simple concept: step out of the insurance box and have a Direct Pay facility so that you may have a personalized, exam-focused, low-cost, high-quality diagnostic exam that is read by a Board-Certified Radiologist and is included in your one-time payment** for all diagnostic exams.
Not only do we offer Diagnostic Exams, we also offer Vascular health screenings (doctors order is not necessary) such as Stroke, Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm, and Leg arterial disease.
Most of these are silent, and people do not know they have an issue until sometimes major or life-threatening symptoms occur. Any of these can be scheduled easily online via our website: totalcareultrasound.com
We also offer Pregnancy packages for a truly special baby bonding (family and friends are welcome) experience. The packages are all listed on our website as well and there is online scheduling available.
My personal specialty is truly caring about what I do and making every patient feel peaceful and comfortable during what can be very stressful for them as they go thru their personal healing journey.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Patient care and Quality of care. These both go hand in hand. No one should feel rushed or like they are not being heard. Taking time to listen and personalizing their care individually is what I do best.
Pricing:
- Prices vary depending upon the type of exam or service. Prices do not exceed $205
Contact Info:
- Website: totalcareultrasound.com
Image Credits
Tara Cook
