Raytel and St Jude info in mailbox

[William]

I got this letter the other day from St Jude Medical telling me about a home monitoring service with Raytel Cardiac Services. It sounds something like this: you buy the home testing stuff (machine, the supplies, etc.,) through Raytel and test yourself at home. You phone the results to Raytel, they look at it and fax it to your Doctor. Changes in the dose can be made then. This seems like one step to many, way don't I just phone my Doctor with the results myself? Did anybody else get this info? Will

 

[jeffp]

Got it here too. I was kinda freaked by getting the letter from St. Judes when I picked up the mail; was thinking "On no, they're recalling my valve and I gotta go through this again!" Raytel graphs the INR over a 12 week period (I think that it) and sends it to the MD. Nice printout, easy for him to look at and see if you've been in range. My cardio wants to go with Raytel for my meter and I figure I'll stay with the program for 6 months to a year to get the knack of the dosing and by then I should be able to do it myself. You're right, it is an extra step, but in today's legal environment, I can fully understand it.

 

[Ross]

QAS has a similiar program, though not about the machine purchase. I call My INR in and if it's out of range, their PPM service calls my Cardiologist who then calls me.

 

[KathyH]

I read an article on the St Jude site that Raytel and St Jude had a new alliance between the two Companys . It is to promote weekly home testing to patients with St Jude valve.. My insurance Co only uses raytel for home testing and I just started using it. When I asked why I can't just call my coumadin clinic, they said it was because since the insurance co pays for the machine and all the supplies they need to get the results from raytel. (I think so that they know I am testing the way I should.) I just started using it last week ago and the coumadin clinic asked me to also call them with the results until we be sure it is all working ok. I did not get a letter from St Jude, but then I never got one when I got the valve.
Kathy H

 

[William]

Hi Kathy H, What insurance company do you have? Did they pay for everything? Will

 

[Karlynn]

I buy my supplies from Raytel and have found them to be very helpful. (Used to buy supplies from QAS and they were also very helpful.) I don't phone in my numbers to anyone, unless I'm out of range by more than a few points. Then I call my cardio with it. I do chart my INR myself though, so I have it in case history needs to be looked at.

 

[KathyH]

William

William

I have Tufts Navigator for Insurance. I think it is only in New England, but it is a great company to deal with.
KHudyka