Healthcare Innovations EXPO will showcase cardiac biochip technology

Healthcare systems already taking advantage of this latest technology are seeing significant cost-savings, made possible by faster and more accurate diagnoses.

Visitors to the EXPO will have the opportunity to see this technology in action and to talk to experts about how it could deliver better patient outcomes and substantial cost-savings for their part of the NHS.

A company exhibiting at the EXPO, whose innovations are already having an impact on acute cardiac care is Randox Laboratories, who provide innovative, high quality solutions designed to make diagnostic testing quicker and more accurate. Randox will be exhibiting their Evidence MultiStat instrument, which uses biochip technology to provide rapid assessment of cardiac biomarkers in a near-patient setting.

The MultiStat utilises Randox’s Cardiac Array, which combines novel and routine biomarkers to provide a clearer picture of a patient’s cardiac status, and can be used at a wide range of locations throughout the hospital, such as the Emergency Department, Cardiology ward or Central pathology laboratory.

A 3 year study using the Cardiac Array in over 1000 patients found that it provides a 98% negative predictive value (NPV) for MI at 3-6 hours after chest pain onset, making it ideal as an early rule-out test for low to medium risk chest pain patients presenting to the ED. This could offer substantial potential healthcare savings for many NHS hospitals, enabling them to significantly reduce the number of chest pain patients admitted whilst waiting for a precautionary 12 hour Troponin result.

The same 1000 patient study also found that the Cardiac Array was 89% sensitive for MI during the same early time points, which constitutes a 20% increase in sensitivity compared to Troponin alone. This enables clinicians to diagnose MI/ACS earlier and direct these patients for appropriate treatment, potentially saving lives.

Furthermore, recent studies have suggested that the Array could also have a valuable prognostic role in the long term risk stratification of patients with a 12 hour Troponin negative result. Many of these patients are at increased risk due to the fact that they are likely to be discharged from hospital with a non-cardiac diagnosis, and therefore without treatment. These individuals are identified using the Array. A negative result for both Troponin and the Array was associated with 0% mortality after 6 months.

 Randox estimates that the MultiStat instrument combined with the Cardiac Array, could save the NHS in excess of £100 million per year, as well as improving patient care and potentially saving lives.

The Healthcare Innovation EXPO, which is the largest public sector health and social care event in Europe, provides an unparalleled opportunity for businesses to interact directly with key health and social care professionals including decision makers as well as those who directly provide patient and community-based care. It is also a vital forum for social care professionals to link up with healthcare experts and explore opportunities for innovative changes in the approach to long-term care and the management of patients with chronic conditions.

• If you would like to register for the Healthcare Innovation Expo and to take advantage of the Early Bird discount, please visit: www.healthcareinnovationexpo.com or phone: 0845 833 2229.