March 24, 2021
Moffitt Cancer Center has adopted a new needle-free method of blood collection for patients in treatment who often need to undergo repeated needle sticks in a day, becoming the first cancer center in Florida to offer this pain-free technology as part of its world-class cancer care.
In its continuing efforts of being at the forefront of innovation, last year the cancer center piloted the needle-free PIVO™ procedure from vascular access technology pioneer Velano Vascular. Since then, thousands of needle sticks have been avoided.
“A needle stick may seem inconsequential, but when repeated numerous times a day on a cancer patient with fragile veins who already carries a significant physical and emotional burden, it can be traumatic,” said Jane Fusilero, vice president and chief nursing officer at Moffitt Cancer Center. “This one seemingly small change, to remove the needle from blood collection, is making an enormous difference to our patients and team members alike. What used to be a dreaded, painful experience because of needles is now met with relief and smiles — a transformation that is positive and should be the expectation for patients fighting this disease.”
Moffitt is adopting this novel procedure across its inpatient population in an effort to bring more humanity to a common yet critical medical procedure, and to do so through a safer alternative to drawing blood from central lines and ports.
“This is a dramatic improvement in how a cancer center can approach vein access with our patients,” said Fusilero. “By shifting collection with this novel needle-free procedure to a traditional peripheral IV line, we’ve been able to significantly enhance our already high quality of care — eliminating pain and discomfort, optimizing practice efficiency, and reducing risk — all while enhancing the patient experience.”
This new standard of care enables what is known as one-stick hospitalization, a practice now in place at many leading health systems around the country. Moffitt Cancer Center is adopting the standard in its fight against cancer.
