Testing at Dr.'s Office

[Glucoweb]

Another curious observation. I notice a lot of recommendations from people to take their BG meters with them to their doctor's office and test using them the same time the nurse checks their BG. Well, my Dr.'s office, uses the Accu-Check Compact for testing of patients, so what I am curious about is:

1) Is my Dr.'s office strange for using a conventional/Commercial off the shelf (COTS) meter?

2) If a Dr.'s office tests using a COTS meter, which is still only required to be accurate within 20%, how does that verify the BG reading from my own meters? Other than just increasing the number of readings and taking their average.

Thanks,
Ron

[morrisma]

Ron,
A better test is to take your meter to your blood test lab and test just before or after they draw the blood. That way, when you get the results a few days or weeks later you have an idea of how you meter stacks up against the lab's results.

Taking your meter to the doc's office will allow them to test it against a precise glucose solution which they should have handy. Most people do not because the solution that came with their meter has expired. If your doc's office doesn't have it, shame on them but you may be able to test at a pharmacy that specializes in diabetic supplies or, as a last resort, buy more of the testing solution from the meter manufacturer.
Mike