Remote CBC Testing Strengthens the Seamless Digital Connection to Care
New remote options for Complete Blood Count tests pave the way for more cost-effective, patient-focused care
Traditionally, the Complete Blood Count (CBC) test is one of the most commonly performed diagnostic tests, with almost 2 million CBCs conducted daily in the U.S. alone¹. Remote CBC testing offers an innovative approach to healthcare, bringing essential diagnostic capabilities directly to patients’ homes.
This test is crucial for diagnosing and managing various medical conditions, from infections to chronic diseases such as heart disease and asthma. Despite the test’s ubiquity, many patients face barriers in accessing traditional lab facilities for testing. In fact, studies show that around 40% of blood lab prescriptions go unfilled due to the inconvenience of scheduling, traveling to labs, and waiting for results.²
At-home CBC testing, powered by solutions like ixEngage, revolutionizes this landscape by eliminating these barriers. Patients can collect their blood samples via easy-to-use sample collection devices from the comfort of their homes, eliminating the need for lab appointments and lengthy wait times. This streamlined process not only simplifies the patient experience but also accelerates the diagnostic and treatment process, a factor particularly crucial for individuals with limited access to healthcare facilities or those requiring frequent monitoring due to chronic conditions.
The traditional CBC test plays a pivotal role in over 70% of clinical decisions³, underscoring its importance in patient care. By leveraging advanced at-home testing, healthcare providers can monitor critical health indicators such as white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets without requiring patients to visit a clinic. This is especially beneficial for managing diseases that require ongoing monitoring, such as autoimmune disorders, chronic inflammatory diseases, and chronic respiratory conditions. For instance, patients undergoing treatment with biologics, which often necessitate a CBC prior to prescription, can now complete the process more efficiently, reducing delays in receiving their medications. Combining this cutting edge sample collection with a secure end-to-end virtual patient experience that quickly provides easy to understand results, lets patients find a doctor and schedule in-person or virtual consults, includes an eligibility check, and allows for completing prior authorization if necessary, means a simplified and accelerated path to treatment for patients.
The shift toward at-home CBC testing aligns with the broader healthcare trend of patient-centered care. A recent survey revealed that 83% of U.S. physicians believe at-home testing enhances health outcomes by enabling earlier diagnosis and intervention⁴. Moreover, for biopharmaceutical companies, integrating remote diagnostics into the patient journey can lead to faster, data-driven treatment decisions, improving overall patient outcomes.
Dr. Bernard Esquivel, Chief Medical Officer at ixlayer, emphasized the transformative impact of this technology, noting that it allows for more personalized treatment plans, reduces hospitalizations, and ensures timely interventions. Remote testing empowers healthcare providers to stay connected with their patients’ health metrics in real time, which is particularly valuable in managing conditions where immediate responses are critical.
Despite the undeniable benefits of the CBC test, the traditional lab-based model has been inefficient. By integrating at-home testing with advanced platforms like ixEngage, the healthcare industry can reduce unnecessary appointments while ensuring that patients receive timely and accurate results, paving the way for more cost-effective care while taking a significant step forward in making healthcare more accessible, efficient, and patient-focused.
Removing the logistical barriers associated with traditional lab testing and offering a seamless digital connection between patients and healthcare providers, this technology not only accelerates the diagnosis and treatment process but also improves the overall quality of care.
¹Cohan P. Anti-Theranos: FDA approval in hand, Sight Diagnostics aims at $2.7 billion blood testing giant, Sysmex. Forbes. December 5, 2019. Accessed January 7, 2024. https://www.forbes.com/sites/petercohan/2019/12/05/anti-theranos-fda-approval-in-hand-sight-diagnostics-aims-at-27-billion-blood-testing-giant-sysmex.
²New Survey Finds Large Number of People Skipping Necessary Medical Care Because of Cost, NORC at the University of the Chicago, March 2018, https://www.norc.org/research/library/new-survey-finds-large-number-of-people-skipping-necessary-medic.html
³The role of blood testing in prevention, diagnosis, and management of chronic diseases: A review., Cabalar, Imelda et al., The American Journal of the Medical Sciences, Volume 368, Issue 4, 274 – 286 https://www.amjmedsci.com/article/S0002-9629(24)01169-8/fulltext
⁴At-Home Lab Testing: Understanding a Physician’s POV, ixlayer, Sermo, ixlayer.com, https://ixlayer.com/at-home-lab-testing-understanding-a-physicians-pov/
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ixlayer has the only end-to-end, direct-to-patient platform built for biopharma and optimized for patient choice. We help biopharma companies connect with patients from testing to treatment with speed, transparency, control and impact.