Abbott ID NOW Users

Hi Cindy, 
We don't do a ton of Covids. We did 60 last quarter and 36 so far this quarter. We only had 1 covid invalid this quarter and 0 last quarter. We did have about 40 invalids last quarter and 45 this quarter- similar testing volumes for each quarter. We do strep, flu, rsv, and covids in our hospital and outpatient clinics. The biggest issue I see is the nursing turn over. The majority of our invalids are due to travelers. Invalids are about 6% of the total tests this quarter and last. There seems to be a learning curve with pushing down that transfer device.

We only see these sparingly. However, in my experience, invalid results are always user error in which the operator either did not depress the white cardtridge into the sample receiver until the orange pop up and/or they did not depress the white cartridge into the test receiver until the orange piece descends. 

hello,  our total invalids this year around 1.7%. Covid has the lowest ~ 1.3%, RSV - 1.6%, Strep - 1.8% and the highest so far is FluAB ~ 2.2%. We are allowing 1 repeat after the invalid result, and the repeated invalid rate is below 1%. 
Cindy, what is your invalid rate for Covid tests? Have you analyzed lot to lot variations?

Thanks for your replies, interesting numbers.  We have a much higher invalid covid rate.  Our analyzers are used heavily for covid, flu and strep and most of our operators are long time users.  I know Abbott looks at the analyzer logs to determine at what step the invalid occurs, hoping to hear back from them soon.

I was very surprised to get an Invalid ID NOW Covid this week because I hadn't had one in a while. I repeated it using the same sample extraction and it was Invalid. The provider recollected the swab and I tested in on a different ID NOW instrument using a new kit lot. Invalid again. I explained to the provider that it was patient specific, and to request a different method of detection. I believe it was recollected and a 4-plex was done on the Cepheid Gene Xpert and all were negative. Looking forward to hearing what Abbott discovers as the root cause.