Lessons from 5,166 failed blood collections
Top-performing hospitals and labs give patients an outstanding experience, from taking appointments to handing in results.
But when it comes to the patient’s satisfaction, some touchpoints have more bearing than others. A prime example is blood collection.
The dreaded needlestick can be a source of a bad reputation – or an opportunity to show the staff’s finesse.
Where do failures come from?
Any lab personnel would know the high number of reasons blood sampling might fail. The list includes fear of needles, poor phlebotomy technique, or even lost sample tubes.
Yet, a 2021 study tracked over 60,000 venipunctures and showed an interesting pattern: the blood collection technique alone was responsible for 91% of failures.
A closer look shows that 87% of these failures point back to only three scenarios:
All of which are needle-related.
The percentage of venipuncture mistakes in the study (as in most phlebotomy rooms) was not high – it is easy to overlook such small figures. But a few failures and redos quickly compound into a bad reputation and fewer recurrent patients.
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How to do more with less
Lab managers often stress the amount of work and adjustment needed to improve the patient experience. But the study proved that focusing on a short list of frequent errors can have the most significant improvement.
So how can you make sure your institute's phlebotomy practice is not bleeding your reputation dry? The most obvious approach would be venipuncture training. Sharpening the personnel’s skillset always has a high ROI for the institute.
Better yet, adopting simpler ways of blood collection can save all the hurdles and pain of needles.
A simpler way
In a diagnostics lab, the blood collection technique is a centerpiece of patient satisfaction.
The study shows that very few daily errors can harm the patient experience.
Without a doubt, quality assurance is easier said than done. It might not even have a slot on the manager’s packed agenda.
Luckily, companies like Loop Medical succeeded in innovating the way around waiting rooms, needles, and bruises.
The simple, easy-to-use blood collection device, Onflow, collects a high blood volume within minutes.
Rather than working on the venipuncture itself, Onflow allows labs to bypass the whole process – and all the drawbacks of needle and syringe. Loop Medical promises painless blood collection within minutes.
Interested in a pilot using Onflow? Contact us today.