The Virginia POC Coordinators Present:
Pointing To the Future

May 1, 2001 - 5:00-7:30pm
Williamsburg Community Hospital
sponsored by 
Medical Automation Systems and HemoCue

Hosted by: Dan Scungio, MT(ASCP), 
Williamsburg Community Hospital, Williamsburg, VA 

To review items and topics discussed at this meeting, click on the appropriate link below:

Dan Scungio welcomed everyone to WCH and introduced Lou Ann Wyer from the core group of POCC’s.  Lou Ann introduced the remaining core members (Joanie Thompson, Janet Burckell, Randy Rodgers) and the sponsors (Brad Sklare and Jim Lancaster-Hemocue, JoAnn Brehm and Kit McElwain-MAS).  

Attendee Comments

All attendees then introduced themselves and expressed their topics of interest.  Comments and concerns were:

1. How to get users to date glucose strip containers?

2. Connectivity solution to all POCT, billing and reporting.

3. Find an armband and bar code that consistently works.

4. Competency issues for traveling nurses

5. How to keep untrained operators from using POCT instruments.

6. How can POCC’s effectively and efficiently manage more than one hospital site?

7. I-STAT usage, billing, correlation of results

8. How to improve interactions with nursing staff

9. Manual entry of non-interfaced devices

10. Several participants were new to the role of POCT, needed support and networking resources. 

Attendees continued to network during supper.  Information sheets were distributed to each participant.  The attendees then split into groups for the following roundtable discussions:

          Connectivity:

1. No way to capture manual POCT without adding another computer to the already overcrowded workbench.  Need a method to pull all POCT data management to a central workstation and this system must be compatible with current working computers.

2. The cost must be manageable.

3. How can billing for glucose be managed?  Variable state regulations and laws.

Competency:

1. Difficulty in maintaining the competency of traveling and contractual nursing staff.

2. How are annual competencies being handled?  (annual skills days, show and tell, show correct method and contrast with incorrect method to demonstrate proper procedure)

3. Sentara shared an excellent report for compliance reporting.

4. New CAP requirement:  Users must perform an actual fingerstick and demonstrate how to test with urine dipsticks for competency.  Check CAP requirements and commentary to verify this comment.

Billing:

1. Different state law requirements.

2. How can billing be successfully managed?

3. Should POCC groups lobby in Washington?

4. Questions can be submitted to the AACC website to network for how other institutions handle billing. 

Cardiac Markers:

1. John LaRosa is using Biosite cardiac markers with the MAS interface successfully.

Accreditation:

• How to prepare for CAP and JCAHO inspections

• Suggest holding a JCAHO Fair in your institution to prepare staff.  Set up specific table for POCT, ask questions, give prizes, make it fun, provide information.

• Support with positive re-enforcement.

Summary of the Information Sheets

Question 1:  

What do you want to achieve from this group?

• Networking-12                                                

• Keep up to date on new developments-1

• New Knowledge-4                                      

• Tips and tools for a POCT program-1

• Brainstorming/support-3                                

• Billing-1

• Regulations-2

Question #2:  

What future topics would you like to discuss?

• Connectivity-6                                                  

• Correlation of new instruments-1   

• Billing-4                                                          

• Compliance-1

• What is coming in the future-3                        

• CAP Regulations-1

• How to deal with nursing shortages-2            

• Competency-1

Question #3:  

Do you have a POCT Committee?

• Yes: 10

• No:   8

The attendees preferred quarterly meetings and rotating sites.  They enjoyed the round table discussions and opportunity to network.  Educational speakers are an option for future meetings.  It was discussed that vendors would continue to sponsor these meetings, possibly two per meeting and possibly to have a vendor show once/yr.  The group would like the core group to continue to help the new hosts prepare for the upcoming meetings.

The next meeting will be held:

August 14, 2001
Riverside Regional Medical Center
Newport News 
Roche, Abbott, Lifescan and MAS will sponsor.

1. Suggestions for speakers were: 

2. Expertise from within the group—John LaRosa agreed to talk on POCT at a future

3. meeting

4. Case Studies

5. Diabetes Educators

6. Inspectors               

The attendees suggested bringing to the next meeting:  business cards, policies, procedures, logsheets and any other information they would like to share with the group.

Websites of interest:

http:www2.utmb.edu/poc

http:www.pointofcare.net

To sign up for AACC’s listserve:

Send e-mail to aacc-poct-div@eGroups.com     Type “subscribe” in the subject line and text  OR  www.aacc.org/listserv.stm   to sign up for a e-mail-based forum hosted by the association’s POCT Division.

Journal of interest:

“Critical Care Nursing Quarterly”, Vol 24#1, May 2001, published by Aspen Publications.

Scenes from our First Meeting

Back top top

Back top top

Back top top

Back top top

Back top top