Hemolysis, or the rupturing of red blood cells, is the most common reason why a blood sample is deemed unfit for laboratory analysis. Every year, billions of blood samples are taken globally that are hemolyzed, while the majority of all medical decisions are based on results from blood test analysis. Missing or incorrect test results can lead to delayed treatment, spiraling healthcare costs, increased workloads for healthcare professionals and above all, unnecessary suffering for patients.
Hemcheck Sweden AB (publ.) has developed and commercialized a product that detects hemolysis in blood samples at the point of care.
Hemcheck produces and commercializes a concept for detection of hemolysis at the point of care.
Read more here.
Hemolysis free bloodsampling – to ensure safe and effective healthcare delivery
Hemcheck produces and commercializes a service for detection of hemolysis at the point of care. Hemolysis, broken red blood cells, is the most common reason why blood samples cannot be properly analyzed. A large part of all medical decisions is based on blood test analysis. Missing or incorrect blood analysis results can lead to incorrect or delayed medical decisions. They also contribute to inefficient work processes and increased costs. The services offered by Hemcheck consist of single use tests for blood samples in vacuum tubes (v-Test) and blood gas syringes (s-Test), and a common reader. The concept was CE-marked in the end of 2018 and the market launch has begun in 2019 on the Swedish and European markets.
Market
Emergency departments in the EU and in the US constitute Hemcheck’s core market. However, all healthcare facilities that send samples to central laboratories, or perform blood gas analyzes, are relevant to Hemcheck. Especially interesting for Hemcheck’s v-Test are the environments where correct answers are needed quickly, the analyzes to be performed are costly and the risk of hemolysis is high.
Blood gas analysis is a blood analysis that is routinely performed in hospitals and is a key tool when quick answers are required for critical diagnoses. Blood gas analysis, like normal blood sampling, is affected by hemolysis. The purpose of Hemcheck’s test for blood samples in blood gas syringes is to detect hemolysed blood gas samples directly in connection to the blood gas analysis, as this feature is absent in all blood gas instruments on the market. To what extent blood gas samples are hemolysed is not yet as well documented as for blood samples in vacuum tubes. Our most recently published study showed a high hemolysis rate of about eight percent.
Every year, over 500 million blood gas tests are performed worldwide, without being checked for hemolysis, which means that there is a potentially very large market for hemolysis tests for even this type of blood test. The cost of a hemolysed blood sample varies depending on the cost of care for a delayed, or in the worst case inaccurate treatment, resulting in a prolonged hospital stay, and on the direct costs of a new blood test. In published health economic studies, the costs have been estimated to be at least SEK 1,000 per incorrect or missing test answer. For example, at a hemolysis rate of five percent, Hemcheck’s v-Test, with current performance, would improve patient flow and lower healthcare costs in emergency care in the EU and the US by approximately SEK 1.7 billion per year, calculated solely for blood tests with vacuum tubes.