Every second counts in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), with changes in patient status potentially occurring quickly and with no prior warning. Around-the-clock blood testing capabilities are essential to effectively monitor these changes in patient status.
Point-of-care testing (POCT) offers excellent potential in the ICU, helping to reduce the waiting time for lab results through the provision of accurate results at the point they are needed – allowing busy medical professionals to focus more on vital patient care.1
Image Credit: Radiometer Medical
Accelerating patient flow in the ICU
Radiometer has specialized in blood gas and acute care diagnostics since 1954, with the company providing comprehensive, connected POCT solutions to support rapid clinical decision-making in ICU settings.
Radiometer's ICU POCT solution is able to measure a wide range of parameters and biomarkers, including these in scoring systems such as APACHE, SAPS, MODS and LODS.2
Alongside the ability to measure 19 critical blood gas parameters and 9 biomarkers, Radiometer's innovative product portfolio includes transcutaneous monitors and seamlessly connected blood testing analyzers.
A point-of-care IT solution is also available, allowing medical professionals to automate and streamline blood sampling and data capture with:
- Automated patient-sample registration at the bedside
- Automated blood sample mixing
- Automated blood aspiration and dispensation
- Automated data capture and transfer to hospital IT systems
A POCT solution is key to helping boost overall ICU efficiency in the ICU, freeing up staff to spend more time on critical patient care.
Overview of some of the relevant parameters you can measure with the Radiometer ICU POCT solution. The parameters and biomarkers in the Radiometer ICU POCT solution are included in scoring systems such as APACHE, MODS, SAPS and LODS 2. Image Credit: Radiometer Medical
The point-of-care solution allows us to quickly get the relevant parameters needed for the treatment of our critically ill, intensive care patients."
Dr. Jan Brocke, Segeberger Kliniken, Germany
When you need fast results in the ICU at the point of care
Video Credit: Radiometer Medical
Point-of-care solutions from Radiometer
The Radiometer ICU point-of-care-testing solution supports a range of routine and daily tasks, allowing professionals to rapidly make critical decisions while increasing efficiency and improving overall patient care.
Image Credit: Radiometer Medical
The company's extensive range of products includes:
ABL90 FLEX PLUS blood gas analyzer
A powerful blood gas analyzer that is able to provide accurate results on 19 critical parameters in just 35 seconds. This auto-mixing unit requires a single 65 μL blood sample.
safePICO syringes
Dependable blood gas syringes are specifically designed for use with homogeneous blood samples.
AQT90 FLEX immunoassay analyzer
An immunoassay analyzer is able to run an array of tests including coagulation, cardiac and infection biomarkers without the need to leave a critically ill patient's side. Rapid turnaround time allows results to be acted on faster.
AQURE POC IT solution
Efficient, powerful device-to-lab connectivity specially designed for the 24/7 management of POCT devices and operators. The system also offers robust remote maintenance and automatic notification capabilities.
TCM5 FLEX transcutaneous monitor
A transcutaneous monitor provides non-invasive real-time oxygenation (tcpO2) monitoring and ventilation (tcpCO2) status in critically ill patients. The use of real-time monitoring ensures reliable management of titrate ventilator settings without the need to acquire repeated blood samples.3
1st automatic for efficient testing
Pre-barcoded safePICO syringes allow users to scan and automatically link patient ID, operator ID and blood sample ID from the bedside. Once blood gas analysis has been completed, results are relayed to the patient's bedside via the AQURE data management system. This approach is accurate, straightforward and streamlined.
The solution installed in our ICU directly links the patient with the blood gas syringe and also transfers test results back to the patient bedside. This means we have short process times and can minimize sample mix-up."
Dr. Jan-Olaf Kuhn, Chief Physician, ICU, University Hospital Greifswald, Germany
Image Credit: Radiometer Medical
References
- The National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry. LABORATORY MEDICINE PRACTICE GUIDELINES EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE FOR POINT-OF-CARE TESTING. 2006 AACC (3483)
- Rapsang AG. Scoring systems in the intensive care unit: A compendium; Indian Journal of Critical Care Medicine April 2014 Vol 18 Issue 4.
- Spelten O. Transcutaneous PTCCO2 measurement in combination with arterial blood gas analysis provides superior accuracy and reliability in ICU patients. J Clin Monit Comput (2017) 31:153–158.