Point-of-Care Laboratory Data Collection During Critical Care Transport

ObjectiveCritical care transport involves a high level of intensive clinical in resource-limited environment. These patients require multiple assessments guiding specialty treatments, including blood product administration, intravenous electrolyte replacement, ventilator management, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. This study aims to measure the usage point-of-care (POC) laboratory data during critical transport.MethodsData were collected via electronic medical record review over 1 year use hospital-based rotor wing, fixed ground team Southeastern United States.ResultsOne hundred twenty POC tests performed 1,075 transports 1-year period (8.9%). Patient transportations involved 35 oxygenation, 21 medical, 17 cardiac, 13 neonatal, 11 respiratory failure, 8 gastrointestinal bleeding, 6 neurologic, 5 pediatrics, 3 trauma, organ donor. Seventy-eight (65%) required intervention, changes (39.7%), replacement (35.8%), products (7.6%), other (12.8%). The remaining 42 (35%) confirmed no intervention was necessary (n = 35) that ongoing treatments effective 7).ConclusionPOC testing guides providers performing essential emergent interventions timelier manner may benefit critically ill patients.