Home Testing For Coumadin Levels
Click here for the main FAQ page about Coumadin
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Dear Karl,
I'm a 44 year old woman who has been on Coumadin for six
years due to a blood clot in the small intestine. My
question is: My INR is monitored accordingly and my
doctor has a machine that gives me my INR within one
minute. A drop of my blood is put on a strip and the
strip is inserted in this machine. I am wondering if
this machine is available for home use? Thanks so much!
Dear Karl,
I'm a 44 year old woman who has been on Coumadin for
six years due to a blood clot in the small intestine.
My question is: My INR is monitored accordingly and my
doctor has a machine that gives me my INR within one
minute. A drop of my blood is put on a strip and the
strip is inserted in this machine. I am wondering if
this machine is available for home use? Thanks so much!
Dear Alice,
| Dear Apria, Ive been reading about a home testing machine for people who are on cumadin for life.It checks your cholestrol and you glucose also,Is there one available and what are the qualifications for having.Will insurance pay for it? My sister has had two mitral valve implants and still suffers from a leaky valve.She has to have her blood tested once a week because they cant get her dosage of comadin right.Its always to high or to low,it is getting to be the point where her Drs are very concerned! Melinda Wheeler |
| Melinda, I am not aware of a home testing machine that will complete all three tests that you mention above. Apria does provide a machine called Accu-Chek that will test for both glucose and cholesterol levels. It does not require a prescription. You can find out more information by viewing the shopping cart section of our website. There are home diagnostic tests for testing PT and INR (the values tested for people on Coumadin). The PT and INR test machine is called ProTime. You can find more information on this machine at WWW.ITCMed.com. The machine does require a prescription from your physician. Depending on the medical need and the insurance plan that a patient has, the insurance provider may cover the purchase of these home testing machines. Leslie Vaughan, R.Ph. Division Clinical Manager Apria Healthcare |
The ProTime® Microcoagulation System for prothrombin time testing is designed to safely manage Coumadin® therapy. The ProTime System consists of the ProTime instrument, the 3-channel reagent cuvette with built-in quality control, and the Tenderlett® Plus LV sample collection system. The test procedure is simple, and performance is comparable to laboratories.
From: http://www.itcmed.com/protime/
Home Testing is Now Available for Coumadin® Management!
ProTime Microcoagulation System consists of a ProTime instrument and supplies needed to perform the test. The Tenderlett® Plus LV device is used to collect the blood sample. The cuvette has three channels which tests the PT and does two quality control tests at the same time. No other system has the safety of built-in reagent controls. You can be sure you get a good result every time you perform a test.
ProTime will enable you to do prothrombin time (PT) testing at home. This test is done to check the status of your oral anticoagulation therapy. Results are reported in both INR and PT seconds. The reagents (substances that are used to run the test) are inside the specially designed cuvette. Just a few drops of blood and a fresh cuvette are needed to run the test. No measuring or mixing blood or reagents - ProTime does it all for you in the convenience of your own home. ProTime will store 30 of your results in memory.
If you travel frequently, are home-bound, or live in a rural area, or if you have had any complications associated with your therapy - ProTime may improve the quality of your life.
ProTime checks the clotting activity of your blood which helps your doctor to manage your Coumadin therapy better. A self-testing program will allow you to test yourself more frequently. This will help to keep your therapy under better control and reduce the chances of bleeding or clotting complications. Your doctor will determine how often you should test. It could be every few weeks, or two to three times per week, depending on your medical condition and other factors.
Many insurance companies will pay for your ProTime System. After all, your insurance company wants to keep you out of the hospital! A few examples of patients who are at high risk for bleeding or clotting complications include:
You can obtain a ProTime Microcoagulation System by contacting our distributor, Home Test Medical (Division of QAS, Inc.). Home Test Medical is a company dedicated to helping you successfully participate in your own healthcare through self testing. Getting started is easy! Here's how it works:
Step 1: Home Test Medical will provide information to you and your doctor to help you decide if you are a good candidate for self testing. If you and your physician decide that you are a good candidate he/she will fill out and forward a prescription and if you intend for Home Test Medical to apply to your insurance company for payment, a letter of medical necessity. Note: Home Test Medical will provide forms and examples for your physician to use.
Step 2: After Home Test Medical receives your prescription and letter from your doctor, their insurance specialists will pursue coverage for you. If you do not wish to wait for the sometimes lengthy insurance approval process, Home Test Medical accepts all major credit cards and can work out a payment plan or lease.
If Home Test Medical has verified your insurance coverage and you elect to purchase your ProTime® outright, they will guarantee you will receive coverage(amount of coverage varies based upon insurance policy) and if you do not, you may return the instrument for a full refund within twelve months of purchase.
Step 3: Next, Home Test Medical provides training and fast, efficient product delivery nationwide. Their knowledgeable and friendly staff including nurse trainers, pharmacists and patient service specialists, backed by manufacturer technical support, provide you with ongoing assistance.
Pricing: Please call toll free at 1-800-298-4515 or visit Home Test Medical on the web for pricing and payment options, information and assistance.
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