Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center now offers direct access cardiovascular screening
(DACS) at the hospital. Patients may order up to six screenings that measure heart and circulatory health at discounted prices without a physician’s referral.
“DACS is a great way to be proactive with your cardiovascular health. It creates a baseline that allows you to track changes over time with follow-up screenings, just like measuring blood pressure or cholesterol trends,” said Jon Fritz, Wellness U program manager.
Screenings include coronary calcium CT scan (calcium score) for $129, carotid artery ultrasound for $235, abdominal aortic ultrasound for $79, 12-lead EKG for $59, peripheral artery disease test (PADnet) for $135 and a lipid-panel blood draw for $25. Screenings may be ordered individually or as a full panel for $510.
Payment is required upfront, by cash, check or credit card. Insurance companies and third-party payers will not be billed, and in many cases insurance will not cover the cost of the screenings as they are not ordered by a physician.
Results for the calcium scoring are provided at time of service. All other screening results will be communicated in person at an appointment with a Wellness U exercise physiologist about a week after the screening.
HRRMC will not send DACS results to a patient’s physician. It is the patient’s responsibility to share the results with his/her physician.
All DACS screenings are conducted at the hospital, 1000 Rush Dr., Salida. Appointments are required and must be scheduled at least two weeks in advance of the screening.
DACS is one of several initiatives HRRMC has undertaken to address the cost of health care. Other initiatives include direct access lab testing, cash-based pricing for rehab services and for CT and MRI scans, and opening a walk-in clinic at the HRRMC Buena Vista Health Center.
To schedule an appointment for a DACS coronary calcium CT scan, call (719) 530-2202. For more information or to schedule an appointment for the other screenings or the full panel, call (719) 530-2057.
