FATTY LIVER DISEASE
Fatty liver disease is the fastest-growing segment of chronic liver disease, with an estimated one in three adults suffering from Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease aka. MASLD (previously NAFLD) . In parallel, NALFD related mortality has been steadily increasing since the early 90s.
CAPITAL DIGESTIVE CARE
Case study site: Norfolk, VA
Providers on site: 9 Gastroenterologists
Capital Digestive Care is the largest gastroenterology group in the Mid-Atlantic states.
THE CHALLENGE
With early detection and intervention, fatty liver disease can be halted or even reversed. The recommended clinical guidance is to screen patients with FIB-4 followed by ultrasound-based elastography. As wait times for liver elastography procedures at Dr. Smith’s Capital Digestive Care (CDC) location began to extend into months, they needed to increase capacity to effectively screen and monitor patients for MASLD at the point of care. Their challenge was identifying and implementing a non-invasive point-of-care liver assessment device that would provide accurate, efficient measurements and maintain sustainable economics without disrupting the clinic’s workflow.
THE SOLUTION
AI guided ultrasound elastography device that measures liver stiffness and velacur determined fat fraction, the two key indicators of fatty liver disease, at the point of care. Velacur by Sonic Incytes offers providers:
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- Real-time results
- Low up-front costs
- AI guidance
PROJECT LEAD
Dr. John H. Smith is a board-certified, fellowship-trained gastroenterologist at Capital Digestive Care in Norfolk, Virginia. Dr. Smith has served as an assistant professor of internal medicine at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. He was head of the gastroenterology and endoscopy department as well as assistant program director of the internal medicine residency program at the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth.
RESULTS
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90% of procedures successfully reimbursed through CPT code 76981
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9.7min average active scan time after initial learning curve
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171% increase in volume of liver elastography procedures
