ProTime Accuracy

[Greg T]

Hi Gang:

Is there any available information on the accuracy of the ProTime device? Also, How fool proof is it. My primary care doctor is trying to talk me out of getting one.

Greg T

 

[Marty]

Accuracy of Protime and Coaguchek

Accuracy of Protime and Coaguchek

Greg, Your question is one that I looked into extensively particularly in reference to the Coaguchek which I use. The short answer is that these little fingerstick monitors have just as good or perhaps better accuracy than the big hospital central labs.

 

[Greg T]

Hi Marty:

Thanks. Where did you get the information that you mentioned. Also, where did you find out about the Coaguchek ?

Greg

 

[Perrster]

Q.A. Services

Q.A. Services

Greg,

Q.A. Services is a sponsor of this website. Here's a link to their website http://www.hometestmed.com/p_protime.htm They will talk to you on the phone and send out packets with videos, etc.

I have received their packet (Hank connected me with them), but I have yet to actually use one. The clinic/cardiologist office I go to is supposed to be getting one soon, so it would only make sense for me to use theirs as I drive by their facility daily.

Regards,

 

[RobThatsMe]

Hi Greg,

I have had my Protime for 2 years now, and it is fantastic. I compare the results against the lab test once a year. They compare within 1/10 of each other. Protime 2.4, Lab 2.3

Also, I test once a week, and really keep my INR within range because I monitor it so closely. I finget stick sure saves the veins in my arms, espically if you consider that I would have to have an arm stick every test for the rest of my life if I didn't have the PRotime. As it was, the nurses were finding it harder and harder to stick my arm due to the scar tissue buildup from prior sticks.

Tell your doctor that even doctors have test units like this or similar so that they can do INR checks in their offices.

Good Luck!

Rob

 

[Greg T]

Hi Rob:

It's good to hear that you have had a good experience with the ProTime. Do you have any kind of maintenance contract? Does the unit fail gracefully? By that I mean, do any failures in the unit reult in bad readings or just a failure to operate at all?

Thanks,
Greg

 

[Marty]

Coaguchek Accuracy

Coaguchek Accuracy

Greg, I have nothing against the Protime unit. However my cardiologist prescribed Coaguchek for me immediately post op in September 1998 after mitral valve replacement.I too worried about accuracy. Since I am a doctor I immediately went to the "literature" and found numerous articles validating patient self testing with the Coaguchek.PST is not new. It has been used in Germany at least ten years. The Coaguchek was invented,
manufactured, and tested at first in Germany by a company called Boerhinger-Mannheim. I am not sure what their relationship is with Roche but Roche handles the sales and support in this country.
My support people are with First Diagnostics in Indianapolis at 1-800-428-5076. I only call them now for supplies. In over three years my little monitor has functioned perfectly even though I dropped it once and parts scattered everywhere, froze it in the trunk of my car after taking it to Baltimore to give a demonstration at your hospital JH, etc. Al Lodwick our anticoagulation guru has used his unit 13,000 plus times apparently with accurate results. Give him a holler. He's a bona fide authority..

 

[RobThatsMe]

Hi Greg,

The unit does come with a maintanance contract, and you can take out an extended warrenty also.

As for as failures, the only ones I have encountered are:

1. Not enough of a sample. Since the unit calibrates itself with every test, it draws blood into 3 chambers, calibrates, then uses the other 2 chambers to evaluate your INR. I like this because it does calibrate with every test. When I first started using the ProTime, I got nervous and didn't provide enough blood, so I got the error. I haven't had that error in well over a year now.

2. Got an error due to bubbles in my sample. Again, this only happened when I first started using the unit. I now know how to provide my sample correctly, and this error has not resurfaced in almost 2 years.

3. Low Battery. I guess I pushed the limits of the unit. I rarely keep my unit plugged in. I use the battery mostly. So, for this error I blame on myself.

Thats it. So, overall, the the 2 years that I have been using the Protime, I have not complaints. In fact, I would recommend this unit to anyone on the site.

Best regards,

Rob

 

[Greg T]

Hi Rob:

You have been a great help. I may just go out and buy one. Did the low battery result in no reading or a faulty one?

Thanks again,
Greg T

 

[KIRSONRON]

I've had a ProTime since December and love it. In regards to the low battery failure - my unit will not run the test if the battery is too low. You can then plug in the charger and run the test immediately. ProTime does off a service contract but if you price it out, the maximum cost for a repair after the warranty period is not that much higher than the contract. Further, a paid repair puts the unit under an additional 12 month warranty. I skipped the contract.

With regard to accuracy, my internist's office is getting a unit to test those patients who "forget" to go to the lab. I take that as a excellent sign since my doctor is super cautious and would have certainly checked that aspect out before getting one for his practice.

As far as failures, I too experienced insufficient sample amounts when I did not put enough blood into the cup. I also had a problem with a "Failed High Control" which invalidated the test. I found out that I had not let the cuvettes warm up to room temperature before using them. Now I take two out of the refrigerator for use within the next 7 days and have had no problem since. The cuvettes are good for 30 days when not refrigerated so this presents no problem.

 

[Zipper]

New ProTime user

New ProTime user

I got nervous too and failed to remove the Tenderlett within the 6 seconds as instructed by the screen prompt and the'beep'....Got a 'bubble error'..tried again in awhile and did it properly.

The others are correct in saying the 2 minutes to fill the little cup with 2 or 3 drops of blood are really plenty of time. I think getting nervous at first is common....I think it'll be a breeze after I do it a couple more times, and feel confident.

Everyone's input here really helps...we probably all make the same 'user errors' as novices...

Thanks all of you...

Zip