Am I a good candidate for home monitoring?

An important characteristic of a good candidate for Home INR Monitoring is being motivated, interested and excited to participate in home monitoring. Having a positive attitude will help you to remain motivated towards a healthier lifestyle.

Other characteristics to consider when talking to your doctor about becoming a home monitoring individual are: 

Medical Condition

You should be receiving chronic oral anticoagulation medication for one of the following conditions1:

  • Mechanical Heart Valve (MHV)
  • Atrial Fibrillation
  • Venous Thromboembolism or Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
  • Pulmonary Embolism
  • Hypercoagulable state

Unstable INR

If you require close monitoring due to an unstable INR, you may experience more time in-range with the ability to test more frequently at home.

Dependable

You should be reliable and follow your doctor's instructions for testing frequency and results reporting.

Availability

If you have a busy work or travel schedule, or are unavailable to attend lab appointments, home monitoing will allow you to become more consistent in testing.

Physically Capable

You need to be physicially capable of administering a fingerstick on your own or with a caregiver's assistance.

  1. CMS Manual Change Pub 100-04 Transmittal 1562 July 25, 2008.