What are your options for INR / Warfarin tests when travelling?

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There are really only two options to get an INR when travelling - Do It Yourself, or use local Medical Service Providers

Do It Yourself

First a disclaimer - I have nothing to do in any way with the item I have described below, and I don't own one.

Recently, Roche Diagnostics have introduced an INR monitor for home use - the CoaguChek XS.. The monitor is about palm size, gives rapid results in under one minute, and requires only a small drop of blood (about 10 microlitres) for results. It seems ideal for travellers. But of course, there is always one drawback, and that is the cost. In Australia, the prices are between about $A770 and $A900 for the unit, and each test strip (one per INR test) is about $A6. The website for the Coaguchek XS is http://www.coagucheck.com/

Advanced Cardio Services offer the new CoaguCheck XS system, using exclusive smart technology to give you fast accurate results from a simple fingerstick test. as shown on their Home Page. There is also a video of how to use the unit, which seems very straightforward, together with a lot of other information about INR testing. Well worth a look. Advanced Cardio Services is based in California.

It seems to me, that if you are contemplating a reasonably long trip overseas, this may be the best and simplest option. I understand that they are generally available world wide. The use of such a monitor may prove more economical than using local doctors and pathology laboratories, and certainly will reduce the time wasted in organising doctor's appointments and blood tests.

I expect that there are probably other INR self testing kits produced by other manufacturers, and that if anyone is aware of these, I will also include them in this page - please use the Medical Services Feedback Form on the website above to provide me with any relevant information

Through Medical Services

Each country has its own procedures and methods - click here for Procedures and Costs for INR tests in particular countries.

INR and warfarin tests for travellers

Procedures for INR testing by country , and

Tips for finding doctors and pathology services when travelling

I have set this site up following a recent visit that I made to the USA, from Australia. I was in the USA and Canada for 6 weeks, and needed at least 2 tests for INR Warfarin during this time. In Canada, the procedure was reasonably straight forward, but it was a nightmare in the USA.First a bit of background - I had spent some time on the web prior to departure trying to figure out locations, procedures and costs in the US and Canada, but got little value from the information available.

Another problem turned out to be the different terminology between countries. In Australia, you go to a Pathology Laboratory for INR testing, but Pathology labs in the US and Canada are virtually all Speech Pathology related. Apparently in the US and Canada and other countries you need a Medical Laboratory or Clinical Laboratory or Diagnostic Laboratory for INR tests - and they proved hard to find easily. On this blog and the INR Warafrin website (see above), l have generally tried to use the term Pathology Laboratory to cover all types

I took with me to the US all of my medical records, my recent INR tests, and a referral from my Australian doctor. All of which proved useless. When I arrived in Canada, I was advised that I needed to get a local doctor's referral for an INR test - the cost for about 3 minutes with the doctor was $90 Canadian. The INR test was then done at a Clinical Laboratory only a short distance from the doctor's, and the cost of that was about $20 Canadian.

In the US I found it almost impossible to find a centre which could test me, and finally found one on the web, which turned out to be a local hospital. When I went in for an INR. they admitted me(!), wrist band and all(!), and after waiting in Emergency (!) reception for about 3 hours, they took my blood, and they did the test at that site. The bill for the hospital and doctors exceeded $US800, and the INR test was about $20 US!!! Total time with doctors about 5 minutes.

So this blog and the INR Warfarin website has been set up to assist overseas traveller's in the procedures and likely costs for INR testing

Finally, there is also additional information on our website at

http://sites.google.com/site/inrtestingfortravellers/

We need your help in developing this site!!

Currently there is information available about a few countries , and in the future I intend to expand the coverage considerably! But we need assistance from those travellers or locals who have had INR measurements taken in different countries!!

If you have any experiences in getting INR tests when travelling or in your local country, please either:

(i) make a post to this blog with full details of the country involved, the need for a doctor's referral for INR measurement, and costs of doctors and INR tests, and any other comments, or, perhaps better still -

(ii) fill in the Travellers Feedback Form on our INR Warfarin website, so that I can expand the information available to all who visit this blog and the INR Warfarin website.

Similarly, any feedback from medical providers, or equipment manufacturers of personal INR testers should reply either by adding a post to this blog, or by using the Medical Services Feedback Form on our website.I will then endeavour to make all relevant information available to visitors to this blog and the INR Warfarin website.

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Many thanks!!!