Measuring Blood Clotting Time – at Home

A self-testing service helps patients and physicians better manage anticoagulation therapy to prevent the formation of blood clots.

The Raytel INR@Home Patient Self-testing Service offers anticoagulation home monitoring for a full range of clinical indications, as many patients diagnosed with arrhythmias are prescribed anticoagulation therapy to prevent the formation of blood clots. The system measures international normalization ratio (INR) levels, the standard unit for reporting the clotting time of blood. The home self-testing service solution helps simplify coumadin and warfarin drug management for patients along with a faster turnaround of test results for the physician, who suffers no delays in receiving the data necessary to manage the patient, and without an additional investment layout for the practice. Easy access to the necessary training and testing equipment and supplies for patients to test their INR level more frequently, are part of the Raytel INR@Home Patient Self-testing service.

Anticoagulated patients are equipped with an easy-to-use meter (similar in scope and size to home-use blood glucose monitors) to check their INR level. After a quick finger prick and analysis of the blood using the meter, the patient gets a reading and then communicates the results to a technician at the monitoring center. The technicians compare the patient's INR test results to their prescribed therapeutic range and these new results are plotted on an INR trend report that is transmitted electronically to the physician's office. If INR values are found to be out of the prescribed range, the physician is immediately notified so dosage levels can be conveniently and quickly adjusted for the patient over the phone. Since the patient can now test once per week, the physician can monitor trends, as well as react quickly to their needs rather than waiting a month or more to detect any issues that may lead to serious complications. The Raytel INR@Home Patient Self-testing Service is provided by Raytel (Windsor, CT, USA; www.raytel.com), which has recently become part of Royal Philips Electronics (Amsterdam, The Netherlands) Home Healthcare.

"Involving my patients with the simple finger-stick test empowers them to better manage their Coumadin levels. No more going to the lab or waiting for the doctor or nurse to take the blood test. You get the results right away,” said Irvin Krukenkamp, M.D., chief of cardiothoracic surgery and director of the State University of New York (SUNY) Heart Center (Stony Brook, NY, USA). "The studies show that self-testing on a weekly basis clearly 'works' to reduce the time out of range and reduce the complications of bleeding or clotting associated with anticoagulation therapy. Self-testing is a closed loop approach that is patient initiated and physician directed.”


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