pH Paper for NG Tube Placement
Hi All,
I know this has been discussed many times before but I recently came to work at a Children's Hospital that uses a crazy amount of pH paper. I mean, the first time I saw a shipment come in I almost fell over thinking someone made a huge ordering mistake because we had cases and cases. In my previous job I managed POC for 17 hospitals, 18 ED/Urgent Cares and 175+ physician offices, and that much pH paper would have lasted that system about 10 years. Turns out it lasts us about three months for one good sized Children's Hospital. So obviously I am trying to find out why :) In my quest, I have found out that we actually see about 10-20 patients a day with NG Tubes, and they are using a roll of pH paper to place the NG Tube then sending the rest of the roll home with the family. My question is, this is not being billed, results are being documented as part of the procedure but it is not dropping its own lab CPT or anything, like a pH for vaginal pooling would. So, is this considered a lab test? I remember hearing no, that this was a procedure not a lab test. So I need a hand on proving that. Do you have anything you have used to prove it is NOT a lab test when used in this way? Thanks for the help!
Silka
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You may want to search back through old threads on this page; I know this has been brought up before and has been argued both ways. Many use the rationale that unless it is a specimen - fluid or otherwise - that can be collected into a container, it is not a lab test. I think it was JC that was making the opposite claim - that if it's using laboratory testing materials, it's a lab test.
Thank you! In my quest I have stumbled on some new information that may be of use to some of you - namely that after speaking with a former CLIA inspector she was pretty adamant that using pH paper for NG tube placement was still a lab test, and whether or not you bill is of no consequence to them - they consider it a specimen and a lab test or diagnostic is being performed on said specimen, therefore that qualifies as a lab test under CLIA.
With that said, to further move that point home, I had never heard of this product, does anyone use it? It is essentially pH paper built into a connector that hooks to the syringe used for placing NG tubes. It is CLIA Waived - so there is another reason to support this stance.
http://rightbiometrics.com
Right Spot pH indicator
Never heard of it, but thanks for that information regarding CLIA's stance!