Automated POC Hematocrit Analyzer

iSTAT, with a Chem8+ cartridge will give you a conductivity-based hematocrit and calculated tHb- you could turn off all the other tests if that's all you need, but that sounds like a long way to go for 1 test.  I personally do not find conductivity-based hematocrits to be very reliable, however, especially in critical care settings.

  Hemocue is the only single-test POC analyzer that will give you a measured tHb, but no hematocrit.  Perhaps you get a calculated hematocrit to display via your middleware or LIS?

  Other blood gas machines will give a measured tHb and calculated Hct (like Radiometer), but again, that sounds like a long way to go for 1 test.

Hi, Hemopoint is not a single-test POC analyzer that gives a measured tHb?

Didn't know about that one!  Who makes it?

James, we haven't purchased one in a while so I got online and looked it up. It's showing Alere. When we purchased I think it was 'Hemopoint' because our SOP does not include 'Alere' under instrumentation section.

We have both Hemocue and Hemopoint POC hemoglogin instruments.

thanks Peggy - does the Alere device offer a calculated hematocrit?

Thanks for the input. We currently use SPUN Hematocrit using HemaSTAT Centrifuge and I believe it gives measured HCT using manual reading method. I am trying to substitute with an automated analyzer. At this time we only have Hemocue which gives Hgb values and connects to LIS too but the MDs wants hematocrit value on neonates so could not convince them to switch to Hemocue yet.  

James, I truthfully don't know. None of our current devices are either set to display hematocrit, or folks are ignoring. I will have to look into how they are set up. What I know is that we did not build a component to record hemocrit and the test is simply POC Hemoglobin.

One of our Pedi sites told me today they are buying a Hemopoint because the MD wants hemoglobin and hematocrit. I just looked it up and the device does calculate hematocrit. If I knew that, I forgot it years ago.

My current brain capacity for new stuff: One fact in, one fact falls out. Sigh.

 HemoPoint ® H2 Hemoglobin Meter. The HemoPoint ® H2 Hemoglobin Meter provides a precise hemoglobin and hematocrit* measurement in just 30 seconds - One test. The HemoPoint ® H2 Hemoglobin Analyzer provides a hemoglobin measurement and a hematocrit calculation* from 25 seconds. HemoPoint H2 Hemoglobin Meter is CLIA waived

For those who don't have their Hemocue or Hemopoint connected and are enter/editing (if one has EPIC) - manually typing the patient result into the EMR - did you build the components to include the measured hemoglobin and the hematocrit? In previous clinics using the device, the providers only wanted to document the hemoglobin.

Now a provider adding POC Hemoglobin says he wants both the hemoglobin and the hematocrit.  If one calls the order POC Hemoglobin and uses CPT 85018 QW, is it OK to include a component result (hematocrit)?

Should I assume one does not include a CPT for hematocrit in the billing?

Thanks in advance. Wish we had tackled this 15 years ago when we bought the first device!