New blood test eases pain and eliminates wait time at Portage Health

For patients who use Coumadin or warfarin therapy, getting blood tests done are just a fact of life.

That, however, doesn't mean it has to be a part of their life that takes up a ton of time, or that is wrought with pain.

Thanks to a new service at Portage Health, life will be a little bit easier for those who use those therapies and need blood tests to determine the proper dose of the drugs.

"Waiting for blood test results can be stressful, but now the results are available immediately," says Dana Bethancourt, RN. "Getting results sooner makes management of the therapy easier and safer."

Nurses are able to use a finger stick test instead of traditional methods to make things faster and less painful.

"If patients need a change in their dose of Coumadin (or) warfarin, they find out at their appointment," Bethancourt said. "Patients receive in-depth education, including nutritional and safety information to prepare for proper care at home."

Bethancourt is part of a team of two nurses and a pharmacist from Portage Health who are certified to administer the finger stick blood tests as part of the new Anticoagulation Management Service.

The service is available Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 to 5 p.m.

Writer: Sam Eggleston
Source: Dana Bethancourt, Portage Health