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i-STAT Benefits Patients Across a Range of Hospital Departments

The i-STAT® System can benefit almost every department within the hospital—Surgical Services, Cardiology/Cath Lab, Neonatal ICU, Radiology, Respiratory Therapy, and others. Rapid turnaround of test results is vital to decision-making across a range of hospital departments. Blood processing with the i-STAT System allows clinicians to access key test results on the spot, rather than the total 20–40 minutes it typically takes for pre-analysis, sample processing in the central lab, and post-analysis.


The i-STAT System provides four major advantages to clinicians in almost every hospital department:


1. Helps improve department efficiency

  • Provides real-time, lab-quality test results that help expedite diagnosis and disposition of patients1
  • Reduces the number of complex steps in the blood analysis process
  • Helps increase productivity by reducing the time required to collect, process, and report accurate test results with fewer handoffs

2. Helps meet established protocols

  • Comprehensive platform includes the most commonly ordered tests in surgical and specialty care areas
  • Accelerates availability of critical lab results for greater control of patient management
  • Reduces the potential for error through fewer process steps

3. Focuses care on patients

  • Portable, handheld design allows tests to be performed and results received at patient’s bedside in minutes
  • Allows for more direct focus on patient needs, as time spent waiting for the test results is now directed on the patient, as opposed to having to leave the patient’s side to do non–patient-centric tasks
  • Using just 2 or 3 drops of blood for testing can help to significantly reduce blood loss

4. Helps reduce hospital costs

  • Improves financial outcomes by increasing efficiencies in surgical units and throughout the continuum of care 2,3

Surgical Services

Surgical ServicesSurgical Services and specialty departments are often under pressure to obtain quick test results in order to respond immediately to unstable patient conditions. The i-STAT System may be a solution to streamlining the blood analysis process, potentially reducing equipment maintenance, and minimizing changes in surgery schedules.

Cardiology/Cath Lab

Cardiology and Cath LabCatheterization labs are a growing area in hospitals. Cardiac patients undergoing procedures require constant monitoring of vital signs, blood oxygenation, and heparin levels. With the i-STAT System, tests can be performed at the patient’s bedside leading to greater efficiency in the cath lab.

Neonatal ICU

Neonatal ICUPremature babies are a very special and fragile patient population that depend on a variety of key diagnostic tests. Some tests may require up to 14 teaspoons of blood per week; however, premature babies have only 20 to 35 teaspoons of blood in total.

With the i-STAT System, the same round of testing can be performed with as little as 2 to 3 drops of blood and results can be received in minutes—all without leaving the infant’s bedside.

Radiology

RadiologyContrast media can pose serious health risks to patients with chronic or acute renal insufficiency—including potentially fatal nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) or contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN).4

Creatinine measurement of renal function is recommended prior to administration of contrast media—especially for patients with risk factors such as diabetes, kidney impairment, and advanced age.5 Waiting for lab creatinine tests could take hours, disrupting the efficiency of your department or clinic.

Respiratory Therapy

Respiratory TherapyBecause the i-STAT System enables rapid testing of blood gases, respiratory therapists can gain a greater degree of control over a patient’s respiratory condition.

For more in-depth information on how i-STAT can help meet the needs of your department or facility, contact us.

i-STAT in the Physician's Office

References

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  1. Chiquette E, Amato MG, Bussey HI. Comparison of an anticoagulation clinic with usual medical care. Arch Intern Med. 1998;158:1641-1647.
  2. Ryan R, Lindsell C, Hollander J, et al. A multicenter randomized controlled trial comparing central laboratory and point-of-care cardiac marker testing strategies: The disposition impacted by serial point of care markers in acute coronary syndromes (DISPO ACS) trial. Ann Emerg Med. 2009;53:321-328.
  3. Bailey TM, Topham TM, Wantz S, et al. Laboratory process improvement through point-of-care testing. Jt Comm J Qual Improv. 1997;23:362-380.
  4. FDA ALERT (6/2006, updated 12/2006 and 5/23/2007).
  5. Choy G, Saini S. How to Identify High-risk Patients. Imaging Economics. May 2007.

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"As a NICU nurse, I know from firsthand experience that in neonatal care every moment counts. When our neonates begin to show early signs of sickness in the critical care setting, every plan of care developed and the changes implemented in their treatment are critical. The goal in care delivery is always to assist your patient towards stabilization and wellness. Every time your patient decompensates, you need to be able to assess, plan, implement and evaluate promptly and without delay. Therefore, delays in treatment can lead to catastrophic outcomes. This is one of the primary arguments for instituting patient-side POC testing.

"Patient-side POC testing provides blood testing results at the patient's bedside in just minutes, which means I can make decisions quickly. Because the doctor is getting crucial information right away, the nurse or RT knows if they need to adjust a patient's ventilator setting, IV or medication. I can’t imagine a NICU not using POC blood analysis.

"Our POC testing protocols give us the ability to make treatment changes immediately and to make every minute count. While quality patient care is our top priority, POC testing helps us get results quickly and ensures accurate documentation of the patient's condition and progress. These electronic records are essential to Performance Improvement processes and regular chart audits."

Nancy Young, R.N.,
Mary Washington Hospital,
Fredericksburg, VA

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