Drawing a New Path for the Future of Blood Collection

Despite living in an age that depends on remarkable advancements in technology, the primary method for collecting blood samples today remains essentially the same as it has been for nearly a century—inserting a needle into a vein and collecting the blood in a tube. 

Yet in a recent Harris Poll survey, more than half of Americans (51 percent) report some fear of needles, and of that group, a top reason is fear of needing multiple needle insertions (31 percent). Those fears can be compounded by sheer frustration around arranging to have a blood test, given health care access challenges in the US, particularly for those living in rural and/or underserved communities.  

But imagine a more efficient and more easily accessible blood collection technology, one that is not only less invasive than traditional venipuncture but can be administered to patients at their local retail pharmacy or pharmacy clinic, without the need to go out of their way to a standalone lab or schedule a far-off appointment, and one that doesn’t require a needle going into your arm. 

This kind of change, one that creates a better and more convenient patient experience, is right around the corner—just like your local pharmacy. 

Bringing blood collection to your local pharmacy

One of the reasons that having blood drawn can be such a time-consuming and inconvenient process is that traditional venous collection is most often performed in a lab setting or a doctor’s office by a trained nurse or phlebotomist. 

However, recent advancements in healthcare technology have led to the development of newer blood collection devices that are not only made for use in more convenient and non-traditional care settings but can draw blood in a matter of minutes with a simple finger stick. 

The BD MiniDraw™ Capillary Blood Collection System was designed specifically for use by healthcare professionals with or without phlebotomy experience—including pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and other healthcare workers trained in the use of the device. 

This novel device requires only a fraction of the blood volume needed from venous blood draws to produce lab-quality samples. The technology received 510(k) clearances from the U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA) for low-volume blood collection for a lipid panel, selected chemistry tests, and hemoglobin and hematocrit (H&H) testing, which are among the most-ordered lab tests and can be used to diagnose and monitor a variety of chronic conditions from hypertension to high cholesterol. 

Increased awareness of and support for innovative solutions are each critical to the expansion of capabilities and widespread adoption. This is especially true when considered in the context of one of the greatest challenges facing US health care today—access. 

Addressing the access to health care challenges

In the US, gaining access to health care, including critical diagnostic services like blood collection and analysis, remains a significant challenge for many patients. 

In the US, rural communities alone have seen 80 hospitals close their doors since 2010, and there are legitimate fears that hundreds of others may follow. As a result, urban health care facilities now find their capacities strained by a sharp uptick in non-local patients who have been left with no other choice than to travel increasingly long distances to receive care.

We can’t forget that barriers to health care access in the US disproportionately affect Black communities, who continue to experience health disparities compared to White Americans and are more likely to be diagnosed with chronic conditions. For example, Black persons have the highest death rate for all cancers combined compared with White persons. Black adults are 50 percent more likely to have high blood pressure than White people (ages 35-64), and are twice as likely to die from heart disease than White people (ages 18-49).

In addition to facing a broad range of inequities and the role played by socioeconomic factors in access to health care, simple inconveniences such as long wait times and the burden of transportation make it that much more difficult for those in underserved communities to get the basic preventive care they need. 

While it may not immediately solve the deeper-rooted issues of inequality, streamlining access to basic diagnostic tools like blood collection services could help ensure that chronic conditions are identified and treated as early as possible, regardless of where the patient lives. 

Improving health systems to improve health care

While traditional venous blood draws will remain necessary for the foreseeable future, the transformative potential of alternative solutions for the healthcare industry and for patients is becoming increasingly clear. 

Whether we hope to encourage people to monitor their health more proactively through a patient-preferred experience or remove barriers to health care access by alleviating constraints such as time and travel, embracing these emerging technologies will be essential as we look to reshape the future of US health care for the better.

This is not to say that all the problems with our system will be solved overnight. On the contrary, the complexity of the challenges facing both patients and health care professionals should inspire us to promote technological innovation and improve experiences and outcomes wherever possible, even if that means transforming one critical process at a time.