Specialties Home Health
Published May 13, 2003
RoadWarriorRN
8 Posts
Hi,
Wondering if any of you use one of the machines to do in home Protimes. If so, what machine do you use and what are your impressions?
Any and all input appreciated!!
nursesearl, BSN, RN
86 Posts
Are they available for home health nurses to use? I haven't heard of any nurse having one. I have heard of patient's having and using them. It would save us alot of time if we could use them.
Hi Isearl,
We have 2 machines and they really do save time and mileage.
Currently there is no Medicare reimbursment except for pt use if they have had a valve replacement. They cost $1200 to $2000 but you probably pay for the machine though in time and mileage savings in the long run.
Thanks for the reply!
renerian, BSN, RN
5,693 Posts
Wow awesome! I will keep reading these posts!
renerian
Shamrock, BSN, RN
448 Posts
No kidding, I had no idea they were available.
sphinx, BSN, RN
326 Posts
Our agency uses them, can't tell you what kind (can't remember), and we have a lot of trouble with them. Frequently our nurses can't get the amount of blood needed in the time allotted. Or the results aren't entirely accurate. Also, we have I think 3, and there is inevitably a problem with one or more, making it a problem when one of more pt needs to have their PT checked.
NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN
10 Articles; 18,326 Posts
Blood-thinning monitors go home
http://www.devicelink.com/ivdt/archive/98/03/003.html
August 2002 - Shortchanged: Dollars don't add up for prothrombin home monitoring ... http://www.cap.org/captoday/archive/2002/prothrombin_home_monitoring.html
Thanks to all for your replies!
Still using the machines and have been having great results. Saves time and miles not driving to labs and patient's can be instucted immed re new dosing.
NRSKarenRN........thanks for the links.
Road Warrior:
How is your agency accounting for the cost? Would like to pass onto my agency.
Do you have CILA lab wavier for machine, how cleaned and calibrated. We don't even carry glucometer or pulse oximetry unit due to lab documentation requirements.
Heck, we can't even get our RN's to reorder gloves taken, yet again responsible for machines.
Hi NRSKarenRN,
No CLIA waver needed for the machine as I understand it. Machine is only used by 3 nurses so cleaning is done at end of day with spray-down and wipe. We created a log for documentation that is a check-off and sign......... no problem so far.
Reimbursement is allowed by some private insurance (supply costs only) but not MCR or MCD yet. Costs are recovered just by the decrease in mileage and time spent on lab runs (we cover 9 counties so even finding a lab can be a chore!)
We use the PT3 machine and calibrations are done automatically x2 with each test. Have checked against local lab and INR is very close if not identical.
Good luck!