The University of Utah (U of U) Hospital has earned its reputation as a world-class medical center, serving the Rockies, the Plains, and northwestern regions of the United States. Beyond ensuring the best patient care in all the expected clinical areas, U of U has also become pioneer of viscoelastic testing (VET).Instrumental in refining the VET program at U of U, Dr. Nathaniel Birgenheier, a board-certified anesthesiologist with advanced training in cardiovascular and thoracic surgeries, experienced the value of a comprehensive, real-time view of patient hemostasis status in the operating room. At the 2023 American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Annual Meeting, he shared the hospital’s experience and the benefits of implementing the program.
“Before my interest in VET, I would often hear surgeons say at the end of the procedure, ‘Give the patient the yellow stuff,’ as just an accepted part of the surgical process.”
- Dr. Birgenheier October 2023, ASA Annual Meeting, San Francisco
With ever-increasing costs and limited supplies of blood-based products, it was clear that if the hospital could better understand the hemostasis needs of the patient in real time, then the right unnecessary transfusions could be reduced, and patient outcomes improved.
Every Minute Counts
Previously, hemostasis testing was performed in the central lab, with receipt of results in the OR delayed, impacting their timely application to patient management decisions. Real-time VTE results helped ensure an understanding of the patient’s hemostatic status and insight into the patient's recovery process. Having near real-time, actionable results quickly was key to helping clinicians at the U of U provide the right products at the right time.
Watch the full video to see how the implementation of VTE at the U of U changed their use of red blood, platelet, and fresh frozen plasma (FFP) products, helping to ensure blood products for those who most need them.
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