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Carilion Clinic First in Virginia to Offer Needle-free In-patient Blood Draws, Redefining Patient Standard of Care

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ROANOKE, Va. and FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J., Jan. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Carilion Clinic, a not-for-profit health care organization serving more than 1 million people in Virginia, in partnership with BD, (Becton, Dickinson and Company) (NYSE: BDX), a leading global medical technology company, today announced that Carilion is the first health system in the state and the Southeastern U.S. to provide its patients needle-free blood draws using the BD® PIVO™ Pro Needle-free Blood Collection Device. This initiative is part of Carilion's commitment to patient-centered care, delivering on the vision of a "One-Stick Patient Experience" by reducing multiple needlesticks while improving the quality of care.

Carilion Clinic is the first health system in Virginia to to provide its patients needle-free blood draws, redefining the patient standard of care.
Carilion Clinic is the first health system in Virginia to to provide its patients needle-free blood draws, redefining the patient standard of care.

The advanced PIVO™ Pro Technology allows clinicians to use a patient's existing peripheral IV catheter line for blood draws, leading to fewer needlesticks and less pain and anxiety for many patients. It also reduces the risk of needlestick injuries and streamlines clinical workflows, minimizing traditional IV and blood collection complications that result in redraws and potential delays in patient care.1,2

"We are excited to be the first in Virginia to implement this novel needle-free blood draw technology, marking a significant improvement in our vascular access practices and enhancing patient outcomes and satisfaction," said Tami Frost, MSN, RN, CENP and chief nursing officer at Carilion. "By streamlining blood draws through our new specialty vascular access team, we will save our bedside nurses valuable time, allowing them to focus on other critical aspects of patient care."

Traditional blood draws by venipuncture are one of the most common hospital procedures, affecting nearly every hospitalized patient daily.3 A recent Harris Poll highlighted that patients often experience unnecessary, failed and repeat needlesticks in hospitals. In fact, needlesticks are an often-overlooked challenge but can be one of the most traumatic aspects of a patient's hospital stay with more than half of Americans (51%) reporting some fear of needles. Among those, a top reason is fear of needing multiple needle insertions (31%).

Patients and clinicians alike are interested in new technology and solutions to reduce needlesticks and improve the standard of care.

"During my hospital stay, I dreaded the daily blood draws that left my arms bruised and painful," said a 17-year-old pediatric patient who experienced PIVO™ Pro during Carilion's trial period. "When I was introduced to this device, it was a game-changer. It saved me from the pain and tears of multiple needlesticks. It truly transformed my hospital experience, allowing me to focus on getting better without the added stress of painful blood draws. This innovation gave me hope and comfort during a very challenging time."