P118 Drive-through phlebotomy - is this the future?

Abstract

Background/AimsCentralised phlebotomy services have been an integral part of providing blood monitoring facility for people with chronic diseases prescribed vital therapies. However, the patient experience is not always optimal due to the issues of congestion, parking, long waiting times; this has been accentuated during COVID-19 pandemic with the need for minimising physical contact. In response to the growing pressure on phlebotomy service at our institution enhanced by the COVID-19 pandemic, our rheumatology service implemented a drive-through phlebotomy clinic to provide the option for patients and families to stay in their vehicles whilst having venepuncture.MethodsAt our large university teaching hospital, we set up a drive-through phlebotomy service provided by a senior HCA supervised by the lead nurse. Patients were identified from the departmental database and were offered the facility via telephone. Eligibility was assessed using a standardised proforma focusing on logistics such as ability to drive and access to a mobile phone. Appointments were scheduled in advance with patients choosing this care option. All the data was prospectively collated with patients’ consent and anonymised for analysis. In addition to demographics, diagnosis and drug record, duration of visit and patient feedback was collected.Results112 patients were offered the service during a 12-week pilot. Mean age of the participants was 49.5 yrs (19-91) with 73 (65%) women. 74 (65%) were of Caucasian and 28 (25%) of Asian origin. 94 (84%) had inflammatory arthritides and all were prescribed DMARDs and/or bone active agents. 69 (61%) had blood samples taken using this service. Most common reason to decline was an already arranged appointment with standard phlebotomy (n = 14, 12.5%). Six (5%) could not be bled due to difficult venepuncture. Mean duration of appointment was 12.5 mins (5-60). 68 (60%) provided feedback with 61 (90%) rating 5/5 and 60 (89%) rating it better than standard phlebotomy. All would like to have the option for future and 67 (98%) were highly likely or likely to recommend the service to family and relatives.ConclusionTo our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate the utility of drive-through phlebotomy for people with rheumatic diseases prescribed DMARDs. Excellent feedback of the participants confirms the need and desire for such innovation in health care. In post COVID-19 services reconfiguration, the availability of drive-through appointments and the close physical proximity to the clinic made it an appealing option for a vulnerable group of patients evidenced by their outstanding experience and feedback. Overall, an HCA-delivered, nurse-supervised drive-through pathway is highly effective, safe and provides an innovative solution to strained phlebotomy services.Disclosure J. Begum: None. M.K. Nisar: None.