Our hospital is considering using Ameritox for urine screening so that we can get quantitative/qualitative analysis. Few things;
1)wasnt there a controversy surrounding some improper billing practices by Ameritox in the past, or something like that?
2) for those of you that use it or refuse to use, what are the pros/cons?
Thanks
I can't speak to the billing issues, but I use a standard 5 lane on site urine drug screening panel in my practice.
Whenever I perform this test, I
always send it to the lab for quality assurance ( for opioid breakdown / G.C.).
I have found that the
cocaine metabolite on site test
quite specific, while the other test lanes not nearly as reliable.
Of interest, I note that the Ameritox indicates the following on their website:
"Through urine drug testing, one national study found that 75% of pain patients may not be taking their medications as prescribed. The study also found the following about the monitored patients:
- 39% did not have the prescribed opioid present.
- 29% had non-prescribed opioid medications present.
- 27% had a higher than expected amount of the prescribed medication present.
- 15% had a lower than expected amount of the prescribed medication present.
- 11% had illicit drugs detected in their urine"
In order to account for the
actual amount of opioid in a patient's system , I was under the impression that i) blood / serum concentration and ii) time of last opioid dose would be required. This is not practical in a typical pain clinic setting. A more pragmatic approach is a pill / patch count.
Having done a self audit, I am happy to note that my opioid practice profile numbers do not reflect the above.
