i-STAT CHEM8+ and CG4+ Cartridges - No More ED Testing

[southerndoc]

Is anyone else having their i-STAT abilities pulled? We were told the FDA has considered the CHEM8+ (BMP) and CG4+ (lactate) cartridges as "lab-directed tests" which means nurses cannot operate them.

Curious if this is happening at other locations...

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[Fox800]

Is anyone else having their i-STAT abilities pulled? We were told the FDA has considered the CHEM8+ (BMP) and CG4+ (lactate) cartridges as "lab-directed tests" which means nurses cannot operate them.

Curious if this is happening at other locations...

The idiocy never stops. I love waiting 45 minutes for labs to result on critical patients.

Maybe the lab can come down and do guaiac exams, too.

 

[e30ftw]

Yes.

Will have a significantly negative impact on patient care.

 

[e30ftw]

In fact, I shouldn't say, "will" since the new policy started 24 hours ago and by the grace of God my comfortable appearing elderly man with the flu today and a Cr of 12 and K+of 8 (baseline nl) didn't die before the lab resulted his CMP 1.5 hours after it was drawn. Extra delay was due to "possible hemolysis" per lab requiring a redraw, communicated from the lab to the RN, without informing me of any need for redraw..

The FDA's decision in this case will result in many poor outcomes and prevent critically ill patients from receiving life-saving emergency care.

 

[GeneralVeers]

The idiocy never stops. I love waiting 45 minutes for labs to result on critical patients.

Maybe the lab can come down and do guaiac exams, too.

Actually this happened. They pulled the hemoccult cards and now it's a lab-only test. Fine by me as I don't need to do the finger Schmear myself. Just call the GI whenever I suspect GI bleeding and admit them.

 

[namethatsmell]

Actually this happened. They pulled the hemoccult cards and now it's a lab-only test. Fine by me as I don't need to do the finger Schmear myself. Just call the GI whenever I suspect GI bleeding and admit them.

I briefly had the worst of all worlds at one old shop: had to get the cards from the lab, then guaiac the pt, then have the card sent back to the lab for them to put the damn drops on it.


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[Ho0v-man]

I tried googling but can’t find it. Can someone post a link to this guideline. When did this become a thing?

 

[southerndoc]

You have to have a login with Abbott's support site. It was sent out via email earlier today.

 

[EctopicFetus]

Ours were taken away due to cost. $5 for an istat vs 50 cents in the lab. I assume they will be permanently leaving us soon as we still have them for critical patients.

 

[BoardingDoc]

Ours were taken away due to cost. $5 for an istat vs 50 cents in the lab. I assume they will be permanently leaving us soon as we still have them for critical patients.

Such an idiotic argument. I use a POC Cr on everyone who needs a CT scan (and needs a Cr). It takes 30 seconds instead of 1 hour --> faster throughput time --> happier patients --> lower LWBS --> more $ for the hospital. If you can stop ONE person from LWBS because you ordered 10 POC Crs and freed up just ONE bed 1 hour sooner, you're spending $50 bucks to make ~$150.

I'm not saying that hospital admin is known for making sound financial decisions, but this should be an easy argument which appeals to their bottom line.

 

[TooMuchResearch]

Haven't seen anything by email yet.

Is anyone else having their i-STAT abilities pulled? We were told the FDA has considered the CHEM8+ (BMP) and CG4+ (lactate) cartridges as "lab-directed tests" which means nurses cannot operate them.

Curious if this is happening at other locations...

 

[Brigade4Radiant]

50 cents for lab tests but crank the cost to 800 dollars

 

[TooMuchResearch]

Well, shoot. Now it's in my email.

Haven't seen anything by email yet.

 

[southerndoc]

50 cents for lab tests but crank the cost to 800 dollars

As opposed to $4 for a lab test and crank the cost to $800.

100,000 i-STATs at $4/each is a lot of money every year... especially when insurers like to nickel and dime every lab test and imaging test.

 

[wholeheartedly]

On the flip side, I just trained our nurses on the few POC tests they do and it was downright terrifying...

 

[thegenius]

Is anyone else having their i-STAT abilities pulled? We were told the FDA has considered the CHEM8+ (BMP) and CG4+ (lactate) cartridges as "lab-directed tests" which means nurses cannot operate them.

Curious if this is happening at other locations...

Just got word that the Kaiser I work at is pulling them. Literally just got the email yesterday. Interesting.