Blood culture tests temporarily discontinued at IGMH and ADK
Both IGMH laboratory and ADK laboratory has had to stop doing blood culture tests for out-patients for the past one week! Three of my own patients, for whom I had requested Blood Culture tests (among other tests) were refused service at both the laboratories during the past 3 days.
Blood Culture is an essential investigation in the work-up of patients suspected of having infectious diseases of bacterial origin. When reliably done, it helps a clinician narrow down antibiotic therapy to mono therapy in an evidence based manner with the knowledge that a specific antibiotic was, in vivo, able to cure the infection. This investigation is therefore, invaluable and essential in identifying specific type of infection and the choice antibiotic therapy for that infection.
I have been told that the test had been discontinued because both laboratories had run out of stock of blood culture bottles, the special bottle used to collect the blood sample for the test! This too, as the recent antibiotic shortage suggested, is evidence of poor stock keeping at both the institutes.
As a practicing pediatrician, not having this vital investigation available, I fear that rational use of antibiotic therapy would be further challenged and proper, directed antibiotic therapy made impossible in most cases with serious bacterial infections.
I am told that concerned authorities have been alerted and efforts are underway to procure new stocks of the bottles. Equally important, I would like to stress to those responsible, is to ensure that adequate stocks are maintained at all times to ensure that this and other vital laboratory services are not discontinued in the future. Failure to do so will, as is the case at present, compromise medical treatment offered to all patients.
Blood Culture is an essential investigation in the work-up of patients suspected of having infectious diseases of bacterial origin. When reliably done, it helps a clinician narrow down antibiotic therapy to mono therapy in an evidence based manner with the knowledge that a specific antibiotic was, in vivo, able to cure the infection. This investigation is therefore, invaluable and essential in identifying specific type of infection and the choice antibiotic therapy for that infection.
I have been told that the test had been discontinued because both laboratories had run out of stock of blood culture bottles, the special bottle used to collect the blood sample for the test! This too, as the recent antibiotic shortage suggested, is evidence of poor stock keeping at both the institutes.
As a practicing pediatrician, not having this vital investigation available, I fear that rational use of antibiotic therapy would be further challenged and proper, directed antibiotic therapy made impossible in most cases with serious bacterial infections.
I am told that concerned authorities have been alerted and efforts are underway to procure new stocks of the bottles. Equally important, I would like to stress to those responsible, is to ensure that adequate stocks are maintained at all times to ensure that this and other vital laboratory services are not discontinued in the future. Failure to do so will, as is the case at present, compromise medical treatment offered to all patients.
If this is what we have to expect from an ISO certified lab, we didn't need that certification.
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Issei T,i gues u cnt say lab is responsible fo discontinuin of B c/s. dis is a big misunderstandin dat som tests r discontinued cuz of lab, actualy it is not so..
d supplyin department n store is responsible fo it.. Yeah, it is realy sad dat dese types of important test r somtyms blocked due t various reasons...hope t geta permanent solution fo dis... anywayz its gud t knw dat nw b c/s test can be done frm IGMH lab.
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Nabba, the lab has to take some resposibility for this. I agree that stock keeping is not controlled by the lab. However, it is a lab service that gets discontinued as a result. I believe that the stock keeping should be computerised so that at any given time a stock status report is available as a snapshot. Potential stock depletion alarms should automatically be generated and authorities or responsible staff alerted to this.
Such procedures already do exist at many businesses even in Maldives.
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sept 7 antibiotics are out of stock
sept 12 blood cultures are temporarily discontinued.
what next patient died because he couldnt not get antibiotics or patient misdiagnosed due to lack of some tests
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Issei T, I do believe the Lab has only a small role t play in the procurement of sample bottles, I may be wrong though.
It is the responsibility of the procurement department and to some extent stock keeping process that has failed.
Whatever it is, it is completely unacceptable.
Nadu, it is deeply worrying. This is not the first time this has happened and it is unlikely to be the last time; should we continue to go about bussiness as is now.
It is no secret, we do have a lot of work to do to get us out of our sorry state. I just hope that things do not go as wrong, as that in scenario you suggested, before we realise what we are getting ourselves into.
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The bottles have arrived and thediscontinued services have been resumed.
I hope that lessons were learnt as a result of the week long service discontinuation.
Would this or other similar events happen? I think, sadly, it is only a matter of time!
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Niyaf that's the reality, we are a poor country, things like this can happen, after all I am not sure you guys are so concern about your patients. You all wants always to criticize and make noise and get attention.
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We may be a poor country, but that is no excuse for mismanagement. I am concerned about my patients welfare, whether you believe it or not. Making these issue public is important in rapidly addressing the problems. The attention therefore helps my patients (and what is good for my patients is indeed good for me).
Thank you for your thoughts.
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