Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 15, 2026

A Microfluidic Flow Chamber Model for Platelet Transfusion and Hemostasis Measures Platelet Deposition and Fibrin Formation in Real-time
Published on: February 14, 2017
Routine coagulation testing in intensive care
Steven Musca1, Shilpa Desai2, Brigit Roberts2
1Intensive Care Unit, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia. steven.musca@gmail.com.
Objective:
To test a simple clinical guideline to reduce unnecessary routine testing of coagulation status.
Design, Setting And Participants:
A prospective, unblinded, observational study of coagulation testing frequency before and after introduction of a simple clinical guideline. We included 253 patients admitted to a tertiary intensive care unit: 100 patients consecutively enrolled before our intervention (May - July 2015) and 153 patients consecutively enrolled after our intervention (August - September 2015).
Intervention:
We introduced a clinical guideline and educational program in the ICU from 18 August 2015.
Main Outcome Measures:
The number of coagulation tests performed per patient bed-day, and the associated pathology costs.
Results:
Over the 3-month sample period, 999 coagulation profiles were performed for 253 patients: 720 (72%) in 100 patients before, and 279 (28%) in 153 patients after our intervention. The testing frequency fell from 1.12 to 0.41 per patient bed-day (P < 0.001). A total of 463 pre-intervention coagulation profiles (64%) were classified as unnecessary, and the cost of all coagulation tests fell by 60.5% per bedday after the intervention.
Conclusion:
A simple clinical guideline and educational package reduced unnecessary coagulation tests and costs in a tertiary referral ICU.
Related Concept Videos
Coagulation
During the coagulation phase, clotting factors, or procoagulants, play a vital role in initiating and progressing the coagulation cascade. This cascade is a series of reactions...
Coagulation
Venous Thrombosis III: Interprofessional Care
Anticoagulant Drugs: Low-Molecular-Weight Heparins
Acute Kidney Injury IV: Diagnostic Studies and Prevention
Pulmonary Embolism II: Diagnostic Studies and Interprofessional Care

