Switching from serum to plasma: Implementation of BD Vacutainer® Barricor™ Plasma Blood Collection Tubes improves sample quality and laboratory turnaround time

Abstract

BackgroundFor blood, most 24/7 standard (immuno)chemistry parameters are either measured in serum or in lithium heparin plasma. Standard serum and plasma gel tubes have their shortcomings when timely analysis of high quality results is required. Serum requires clotting time and interference of gel globules in the plasma and adsorption of hydrophobic analytes into the gel layer potentially compromises high quality results from lithium heparin gel tubes. We sought to evaluate the impact of BD Vacutainer® Barricor™ Tube (Barricor™) on laboratory efficiency by measuring its effect on TAT and sample quality, as well as evaluate potential cost opportunities resulting from improved sample quality.MethodsTAT data and remediation activities were extracted and captured during two 6 months phases. Serum was used as the predominant matrix in the first phase and Barricor™ plasma was used in the second phase.ResultsBarricor™ significantly reduced the median TAT, especially for routine-priority samples during peak-hours. The TAT key-performance-indicator (percentage of results available within 90 ​min) improved to >90% for STAT as well as routine priority samples. Converting from serum gel, Barricor™ reduced fibrin-related remediation activities from 2.3% to 0.4%. This resulted in remediation-related cost reduction of €6.010,47 over the study period.ConclusionsBy implementing Barricor™, we saw a significant reduction in TAT and a reduction in fibrin-related remediation time and costs, when compared to a predominant serum workflow. The improved TAT opens up the possibility of consolidating to one single priority level, eliminating the need for the use of the STAT priority level.

Evaluation of the Barricor Tube in 28 Routine Chemical Tests and Its Impact on Turnaround Time in an Outpatient Clinic

“…In a comparison of TAT data during two six-month phases of using the SST and the Barricor tube separately, the Barricor tube significantly reduced the 90th percentile TAT from 88 to 79 minutes, especially during peak hours. The Barricor tube reduced fibrin-related remediation activities from 2.3% to 0.4%, which is consistent with our results [5]. In another study regarding the switch from PST to the Barricor tube, a reduction in centrifugation time from 15 minutes to 3 minutes led to a significant reduction in TAT in an emergency department [6].…”

“…Some studies have investigated the effects of the Barricor tube on TAT in the phlebotomy unit and clinical laboratory [5,6]. In a comparison of TAT data during two six-month phases of using the SST and the Barricor tube separately, the Barricor tube significantly reduced the 90th percentile TAT from 88 to 79 minutes, especially during peak hours.…”

“…The efficacy of the Barricor tube and its ability to reduce TAT compared with the SST have been reported recently [5,6]. We compared the results of routine chemical tests performed using the SST and the Barricor tube and evaluated the change in TAT and the hemolysis index after switching to the Barricor tube in a one-day visiting department, the third-floor unit.…”

Review of the Preanalytical Errors That Impact Therapeutic Drug Monitoring

“…The turnaround time can also be significantly improved. 43 Using LC-MS/MS, Schrapp et al explored the influence of Barricor separator tubes and BD PST II (plasma separator tubes) on the stability of both therapeutic compounds and common drugs of abuse (n = 167) in plasma samples. Interestingly, 40 drugs were significantly affected by the use of the gel barrier PST II tubes, including antidepressants (11/26), anxiolytics and hypnotics (4/25), cardiovascular drugs (5/26), neuroleptics (9/13), and some drugs of abuse (5/26).…”

Improving Clinical Laboratory Quality through Reduction of Tests’ Turnaround Time in Democratic Republic of the Congo: Key Strategies

“…Among process involved in lab TAT, the centrifugation is one of them that can remediation activities from 2.3% to 0.4%. This resulted in remediation-related cost reduction of €6.01047 over the study period [39]. Another study evaluated the effects of using the Barricor tube in a stat (statin) laboratory on the results and TAT of routine chemical tests.…”