ENT Practice Management Provide to ENT Clinics
ENT (ear, nose and throat) physicians provide medical and surgical care for patients with disorders or diseases of the ears, sinuses, mouth and throat, as well as the related structures of the head and neck. ENT practice management includes billing and coding, patient scheduling, appointment reminders and other administrative tasks. The right EHR can help with all of these aspects and improve office workflows.
An ENT practice management ear infection, or otitis media, is an inflammation of the middle ear. It’s caused by a virus or bacteria and can occur in both children and adults. Ear infections often clear up on their own, but sometimes they do not. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics if it’s thought that bacteria are the cause of your or your child’s ear infection.
Your doctor will use an instrument called a pneumatic otoscope to examine the middle ear and judge if there’s fluid behind the eardrum. This test is most accurate if your or your child’s eardrum is not moving much when the doctor puffs air into the ear.
What Specific Services Does ENT Practice Management Provide to ENT Clinics?
If your or your child’s eardrum continues to move little to no when the doctor puffs air into it, your or your child’s doctor will likely refer you to an ENT specialist. This is because the ENT specialists are experienced in putting tubes into the eardrum to allow fluid to drain out.
Tinnitus is a perception of sound in the ears that does not come from an external source. It is an incredibly common condition that affects millions of people and can be difficult to manage for many. It can be triggered by noise exposure, injury or certain medications. It can also be symptomatic of more serious health conditions, including Meniere’s disease, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders and acoustic neuroma.
ENTs play a key role in managing tinnitus as part of an interdisciplinary team with audiologists and PCPs. They work with patients to diagnose the cause, provide reassurance and offer a variety of treatment options for the condition.
ENT physicians assess the patient’s history of the tinnitus to narrow the working differential diagnosis, as well as a physical exam, which may include otoscopy to look for signs of infection, eardrum perforation or middle ear tumours. ENTs may also refer patients who have pulsatile tinnitus or symptoms that are unilateral to an otolaryngologist for further evaluation, if they suspect a medical condition.
ENT specialists diagnose and treat conditions that affect the ear, nose, throat and surrounding structures of the head and neck. They are highly skilled in state-of-the-art techniques to diagnose and treat a range of conditions from a cold or sore throat to head and neck cancers.
The risk factors for head and neck cancers include age, tobacco and alcohol use and infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV). A person’s genetic makeup can also increase their risk. Treatment options for head and neck cancers include surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Newer treatments, like targeted therapy and immunotherapy drugs, are also used to help fight head and neck cancers.
In addition, ENT doctors can perform minimally invasive endoscopy to collect biopsy tissue and remove enlarged lumps in your neck. Your doctor can also perform imaging tests like X-rays, CT scans and MRIs to create images of your neck. A hearing specialist, such as an audiologist, can help people who have difficulty hearing. They can remove earwax, carry out tests of the ear canal and inner ear, and fit patients with hearing aids.