Monthly Blood Draws....

[Rerun]

For years they always took the monthly blood draw after a weekend so they could get a snapshot of our blood labs at the worst.  That way you could adjust eating the wrong foods.

About 2 years ago they switched to Tuesdays which meant I had dialysis once before on Sunday and then when my blood had been cleaned once took labs.  I had a fit then because my blood was cleaned once so of course my labs were good.  That is cheating for DaVita because Medicare watches to make sure our clearance is acceptable. 

NOW, they are taking our labs on Thursday.  I've had dialysis twice... now they do lab draws.  So, now our blood labs look REALLY good to Medicare.  What a crock of sH*^%!  What next?  Take them Friday morning after dialysis is done so our labs look perfect.  Medicare should ask why we are even on dialysis with blood so clean.

  

[Jean]

Maybe that is the point, ReRun. Do you think Medicare would stoop so low tho??

[kristina]

Dear Rerun, I wish I could make any sense of what they are meaning with your blood-tests, but I am afraid, I can't.
It sounds though, as if someone's got something logically messed up somewhere ...
Best wishes Rerun and if you can find out by any chance, what it means, please let us know...
Kristina.

[Charlie B53]

Ever think they are just trying to make sure we are healthy enough to go PARTY all Week end?

As IF!


It's been soooooo long I'm not sure what a Party is.



Does a Pity Party count?

[PrimeTimer]

Makes you wonder if someone might be cooking the books. If it's Davita then the motive is obvious but if they are getting their orders from Medicare then I wonder what the motive might be. In either case the motive probably involves money and a whole lot of it.

Hubby goes to a Fresenius. Some of his labs are drawn weekly, others on every 3rd Thursday of the month. Don't know if this has anything to do with how often or when his labs are drawn but he has Medicare as Primary and employer insurance as his Secondary and then me for prayers.




self-edited for grammar

[Charlie B53]

My Fresenius Clinic does hemoglobin every Wed.

Monthly full labs are always on a Wed mid month.  Except they often have problems with mine and have to repeat them so I never know what's up.   As long as my numbers stay mid ranges it really doesn't make much difference.

It least my pTh has finnally fallen down into a somewhat acceptable range.  Whoo Hoo!  Only taken a year.

[Rerun]

It would be the Dialysis Center that would benefit.  Medicare requires labs be in range.  So, in order for the dialysis centers to be in range... hey lets draw blood at the end of the week after everyone has been cleaned and then draw blood.  Instead of after a weekend of chips and pop.

But for us.  We need to see our labs after a weekend of chips and pop.  We need to see our potassium pushing 6.0  rather than see our potassium at 5.5 going into a weekend. 

I think it is dangerous but the Centers don't care.  You would think they would like to keep us alive for the Medicare and insurance payments....

After 25 years of them hounding on us about our lab draws at the beginning a week.  It just floors me that NOW it is okay to take them when we have been cleaned twice before a draw.  It seems like cheating.

[Michael Murphy]

I go to a Fresinius clinic blood draws occur every month on the second Monday.

[lulu836]

Third Thursday each month. 

[kristina]

It would be the Dialysis Center that would benefit.  Medicare requires labs be in range.  So, in order for the dialysis centers to be in range... hey lets draw blood at the end of the week after everyone has been cleaned and then draw blood.  Instead of after a weekend of chips and pop.

But for us.  We need to see our labs after a weekend of chips and pop.  We need to see our potassium pushing 6.0  rather than see our potassium at 5.5 going into a weekend. 

I think it is dangerous but the Centers don't care.  You would think they would like to keep us alive for the Medicare and insurance payments....

After 25 years of them hounding on us about our lab draws at the beginning a week.  It just floors me that NOW it is okay to take them when we have been cleaned twice before a draw.  It seems like cheating.

It still does not make any sense whatsoever .... and ...  could there be anything they try to prove... and if.... what is it ?
Monthly blood-tests give us and our nephs an idea about where to improve and which medicines to give for what... But if the blood-tests are taken when the blood has been cleaned there is hardly any indication for what should or could be improved with what and which medicines are most necessary at that particular moment ...
If we now continue with this train of thought, it almost could appear as if Rerun's center tries to "cook the books", but ... for what ?
I send you my best wishes Rerun and please keep us posted about this strange mystery.
Good luck wishes from Kristina.

[PrimeTimer]

Maybe they are wanting to boost their rating with Medicare. Maybe they are trying to inflate their KT/V measurements because perhaps they have a poor rating in other areas ?? You'd think auditors would catch this but I suppose it depends on who is doing the auditing...Davita or Medicare. And even then you can't rule out corruption and fraud.   

[Charlie B53]

I Believe consistancy in whatever method, or time of the month draw of the sample, as long as the results stay within a decently tight range, the results will average out well enough for most of us.

I've had similar discussions with my Nurses and a couple of Dr's about bofere and after testing.  I am more interested in seeing the test results of just how BAD my numbers are BEFORE treatment, then again after treatment  so to better understand not only how well treatment does, but how bad my diet may be which will increase my dependence on this machine.

In this instance a set of tests on Friday AFTER treatment and another BEFORE treatment on Monday would show me a lot.  But they aren't going to do it.  Even though this could be a great tool in getting some patients to start improving their diet.

[Tonyg]

Here in Cyprus bloods are done monthly dependent on when you started, mine are on the 20th or nearest session after. There are 2 draws, one before and one after for comparison, results of the before are generally back within an hour so adjustment can be made. One advantage of being in a general hospital as opposed to a remote centre.