Barium Use, ListServ Summary, October 2020
Rehab administrators answer questions regarding Barium Use and Ordering. IPRC archives information collected by the Pediatric Rehab Administrator’s ListServ as a public service to the entire Pediatric Rehabilitation Community. All information is posted in summary format and has been de-identified. Search through past queries for responses to rehabilitation related questions.
Original Question:
The department is analyzing our current process for ordering and use of barium during MBSS/VFSS to determine what regulatory improvements can be made.
- Does your facility use Varibar for MBSS/VBSS? Any other barium products that are used?
- Does barium require a medication order at your facility? What does the process look like to get barium ordered?
- Where are unopened containers kept or stored? In the therapy department or in Radiology?
- Where are opened containers stored? In the therapy department or in Radiology?
- Who prepares barium for the study?
- Is this a Radiology tech, SLP, or other team member?
- Does your therapy team follow a standard protocol (in terms of order of barium presentation/amount of barium) for each study or is this left to clinical decision of the therapist making based on patient presentation?
- Does the therapist document amount of barium consumed during study (i.e, 30mL thin liquid, 15mL mildly thick liquid)?
- If yes, is this in the therapy evaluation report? Or does this live in another section of the EMR?
- Some Varibar ingredients are contraindicated for ketogenic diet. What accommodations do you make for patients on a ketogenic diet who need a MBSS?
