Electroneurodiagnostics

(Or what I have been doing for the last 25 years)

When I got out of High School in 76 I didn't know what I wanted to do. Until then I had some light employment that funded my lifestyle but no clear direction I wanted to head. So, being a natural bourgeois hedonist I and one of my best friends got an apartment while I explored the idea of being an electrician and partied like there was no tomorrow.

After about 2 years I decided that this electrician stuff was not for me. I hated the working conditions and it would be several years before I had decent earning potential. About that time several things happened, 1/My Aunt Peggy said to me "did you ever consider a career in healthcare?" 2/ My sister began a course of study in electroneurodiagnostics at United Hospital in New York. 3/ I went up to visit her and during my visit I met Gary B. Gary was funny, he cracked me up and we got along great. Gary said something about "You gotta love this, you put wires on people's heads, mess up their hair, and they pay you for it" And I think someone said hey, why don't we do this together. So Barbara, Gary and I began our careers in electroneurodiagnostics.

After I got out of school in NY, I did an internship at Bronx Jacobi, Albert Einstein Medical School in the south Bronx. My first paid position was EEG Technician at Overlook Hospital in the Neurodiagnostic Department. Upon my arrival, Overlook performed only routine clinical electroencephalography. I am proud to have been the major driving force in the development of their evoked potential and intraoperative spinal cord monitoring program. I also assisted in the development of their epilepsy and ambulatory EEG-monitoring program. I put together the proposal, business plan, worked with the architects and designed the physical plant. Supervised the clinical trials and performed the normative analysis. The equipment, quarters, and clinical techniques I developed then are still in use today, some 15 years later.

While I was at Overlook, I was approached by a group of Neurologists who were interested in building their own diagnostic center with MRI, CT, and EEG capabilities. They were interested in obtaining my assistance in developing their own EEG program. Again I had an opportunity to work with architects, engineers, builders, medical instrument vendors, and business management software solutions. Although I was not the chief orchestrator, I did play a vital role in the overall project. That venture went well until the Federal STARK regulations effected physician owned diagnostic centers.

I also did some per diem work at Morristown Memorial Hospital and Fair Oaks Hospital in New Jersey. Nothing much to write about, I just covered vacation and sick time.

I spent 10 years in Summit, NJ working at Overlook and the Neurodiagnostic Group of NJ. I really loved the area. I met my first wife Terry, we had a beautiful garden wedding. I got my first house and boat. I found I enjoyed water skiing more than fishing. I will always remember Christmas in Summit as a magical time. My wife and I spent over 10 years together. We enjoyed traveling when we could. The islands were our favorite destination.

Early in 1990 an opportunity came my way to take a leadership position at Jersey Shore Medical Center in Central New Jersey in their Electroneurodiagnostic Department. The position appealed to me because it was closer to my family, and there did not appear to be any more advancement opportunities at Overlook, it improved my income, lowered my cost of living, and they promoted advancement potential particularly in the Diagnostic Imaging Department. So I put together a five-year plan to redesign the department. That plan would change the organizational structure, physical plant, work flow, policies, procedures and clinical protocols in an effort to improve revenue, reduce expense, achieve regulatory compliance and improve overall customer satisfaction. That plan was endorsed and I accepted the position of Supervisor, Electroneurodiagnostic Services. The plan was completed in 4 years and resulted in 40% improvement in revenue, reduced manpower by 50%, and reduced physical space by 30%. I was happy, so was my boss. Then on Friday August 30th 2002 after 12 years of excellent performance, Meridian Health terminated my employment.

Around 1995 managed care was beginning to have quite an impact on health care. All medical centers in the state were taking a hard look at their healthcare delivery costs. I was inspired to learn about and start my own Electroneurodiagnostic business. So I found a federally subsidized SBA course that was done with the assistance of SCORE at Brookdale College. It was a very enjoyable course that educated me in almost every aspect of starting a business including obtaining startup capital, bookkeeping, tradename registration, payroll, incorporating, and the NJAC. That knowledge coupled with my standing knowledge of CPT & ICD coding, DOH regulations, JCAHO guidelines, and HCFA regulations positioned me well to start my own business. However, I still felt a little gray in the arena of employee relations so I found a course on employee management and wage/hour issues that taught me all about the FLSA, FMLA, and HIPAA. Now I felt that I had the knowledge base I needed to venture into private practice with confidence. I partnered with several area technicians, a lawyer, accomplished business executive, and a physician. I constructed a business plan, performance improvement plan, employee relation plan, and standard service agreement. I put on my best salesman face and went looking for customers. Over the course of the next few years, ENDS of CNJ secured long-term agreements with several area healthcare providers including one with the NJ State Department of Health and Human Services, Long Term Care Facilities and Deborah Heart & Lung Center. At present, ENDS of CNJ has not developed into a very large venture, but it does OK for me. I am very proud of this, it may not be large but it is a fully functioning business compliant with all regulatory agencies.

Being a Registered Electroneurodiagnistic Technologist I have had the honor and privilege of teaching approximately 10 students the art and practice of the profession. Three of my students have done very well and still practice the skills I taught them. Some have moved into other areas of interest but I am proud of them all.

I have spent over 20 years in one of the most stressful and yet rewarding of industries. I have achieved a degree of professional excellence. I have regularly dealt with tough issues. And I still love it.

Computers and digital systems have over the years been one of my hobbies. But in the new millennium they have also been a source of income and work as I build and host web based solutions. So I thought maybe I should have a bit about them here. Click here to learn more.

IBEW

United Hospital

Jacobi Medical Center

Overlook Hospital

Jersey Shore Med Ctr.

Deborah Heart & Lung