The Perfect3 glucose meter that is provided to SZV-insured patients by Medicosmetics. Photo by C. Emmanuel.
PHILIPSBURG--Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor VSA Richard Panneflek says that, according to a laboratory-conducted pilot study, glucose meters issued by Social and Health Insurances SZV are not faulty.
According to the minister, improper handling of the glucose meters, environmental exposure and a patient’s physiological condition, just to name a few, may be reasons for discrepant readings.
Panneflek provided Members of Parliament (MPs) with an overview of what the VSA Ministry, together with SZV, has been executing to provide the population with efficient health and social services.
Panneflek said the VSA Ministry and SZV, in addressing the yearly pharmaceutical expenses, have collaborated on the Programme Cost Containment Pharmaceuticals (PCCP) project. He noted that the cost of pharmaceuticals is a substantial part of SZV’s yearly medical expenses. The most important part of the PCCP project is purchase-cost reduction.
“These cost reductions are possible due to normalised profit margin in an efficient distribution process. Because of these purchase-cost reductions it would be possible to increase medication-dispensing cost for the pharmacies,” he said.
He said the VSA Ministry is always informed of any changes made in the pharmaceutical and medical suppliers by the SZV. “Any significant changes are always discussed with the various stakeholders, general practitioners, pharmacists, paramedical professionals, etc.,” he added.
Panneflek elucidated reasons why SZV made margins in the list of medical suppliers. One reason was to reduce the number of suppliers to one or two preferred suppliers who could supply most if not all certified artificial and medical aid devices. “The management of the providers would be reduced, thus making the administration and processing of declarations more efficient,” he said.
The second reason was to synchronize the benefit throughout the different medical expenses insurances that SZV manages. He said SZV manages different insurances and each insurance has a different population as well as qualifications, rules and procedures.
“I want like to emphasise the charges that will have a serious impact on insured population are always publicised by SZV,” said Panneflek on the topic of complaints. He said the ministry always follows up with SZV when any complaints are received at its offices. “SZV has always responded immediately to all complaints submitted directly to its offices or via the Ombudsman,” he added.
In addressing issues relating to the glucose meter, SZV undertook several steps. Panneflek said healthcare providers and SZV-insured patients had been informed about the decision to centralize the distribution of medical aid and applications with one medical aid supplier/provider to contain the increasing medical cost.
He noted that one of the main tasks of the healthcare provider was to provide patients with clear instructions for using the glucose meters. “All parties involved were informed that if there are any issues experienced with the glucose meter to inform their healthcare provider or SZV directly. These complaints are assessed on a case-by-case basis by SZV,” he added.
On receiving complaints from several persons, management decided to conduct a pilot study by St. Maarten Laboratory Services (SLS). SLS was requested by SZV to test the glucose meters currently covered by the contracted medical aid supplier.
According to Panneflek, the test result showed that the glucose meters provided met the acceptance criteria of the international standards by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) set for glucose meters. In short, the provided glucose meters were not faulty.
“Based on this pilot study it was concluded that reasons for this discrepant reading could be derived from the improper handling of the glucose meters by the patient before doing the test, also the effects from environmental exposure, a patient’s physiological condition and medication can have on the use of the glucose meters,” he added.
A plan of action was developed and has been finalised. When the results of the new pilot are known, he said, SZV-insured diabetic persons and healthcare providers will be informed accordingly.
SZV has and is still advising patients that if they feel uncomfortable with the reading they are encouraged to always discuss their concerns with their healthcare provider, general practitioner or medical specialists who will then carry out a comparison testing against the laboratory matters.
Panneflek said that in the meantime SZV has requested the medical aid supplier to order and bring in new glucose meters that will have individually packaged strips in order to lessen the possibility of human error and environmental effects.
He also said that a new pilot study had been conducted to determine the quality of the new glucose meter by SLS NV before it was introduced to SZV-insured diabetic persons.
“SZV performed a two-day study on the new glucose meter on October 15 and 16, 2020, with the assistance of Dr. Grace Spencer who requested some of their diabetic patients to participate,” he said. The response received from the participants was positive.
During the question segment MP Angelique Romou asked Panneflek if the decision to utilise one supplier had been reviewed since its inception. She also asked what procedure had been used in choosing Medicosmetics as the supplier and why it had been chosen.
MP Christophe Emmanuel, who said he owns both a meter which he personally purchased and one received from Medicosmetics, said that he has had surprisingly high readings from the meter he has received from Medicosmetics. To determine a reliable reading, he got a glucose test at a laboratory and, according to him, the results received from his lab test were in line with the results he received from the meter he purchased.
Emmanuel asked how many complaints SZV had received concerning the accuracy of certain meters and what had been the response or outcome to those complaints.
“Is SZV aware of any more health or deaths related to faulty readings from diabetic meters? If yes, can an explanation be given as to why this happened and what was done or being done to not have this occur in the future,” Emmanuel asked. “What were the issues with the newly-introduced glucose meters and testing strips? Was it the inferiority of the meter and strips or was there a lack of guidance in the introduction of the new materials?”
MP Claudius Buncamper asked whether the approved glucose meter test strips are available at any pharmacy on the island, or are persons obligated to go to the distributor in Cole Bay (Medicosmetics).
The meeting was adjourned, as SZV representatives requested time to provide answers to all questions posed by MPs.
