Drive through Warfarin Clinic supported by LumiraDx

Background

Beacon Primary Care in Skelmersdale, is a team consisting of 8 General Practitioners (GP), 4 Advanced Nurse Practitioners, 10 Nurses and 6 Health Care assistants. It provides services to over 17,000 patients through one individual practice operating from five locations across West Lancashire. Dr S. Biswas runs the Warfarin Clinic across 4 locations, Monday- Friday.

Supporting warfarin patients during the COVID-19 pandemic

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Beacon Primary Care wanted to change the way they test patient’s anticoagulant monitoring bloods. The aim was to minimise risk to patients from a thrombotic event, maintain time in therapeutic range, reduce the risk of high-risk patients being exposed to COVID-19 infection and reduce exposure of staff in the surgery to multiple patients.

In order to do this, Dr Biswas set up drive through service in the car park of one of the locations using the LumiraDx Platform, INRstar and LumiraDx INR test. Front line testing was performed by either a Healthcare Assistant, Nurse or GP who were supported by admin staff and dosing support was based remotely.

Patient pathway

The patient arrives at the agreed appointment time and waits with their car window up, putting on a mask if they have one. They are then directed to the testing station either by the marshal, or by a call or text message. At the testing station, the patient turns off their engine and lowers their window by 6 inches and puts the hand normally used for testing through the car window. Once the blood sample has been taken, the patient waits for the thumbs up from the healthcare professional in order to drive away. The patient’s dosing instructions are communication by text, phone, email or via the Engage app.

‘This really does minimise exposure for the high-risk patients, I watched patients bunched together outside surgery waiting to be let in – an unacceptable risk for some of our Warfarin patients.’ – Dr Biswas, GP Partner, Beacon Primary Care

‘It was great to see the team at Beacon Primary care implementing a drive through strategy to ensure that patients continued to have their INR tested. Using the LumiraDx Platform and INRstar allowed results to be obtained quickly so patients could continue to be protected’ - Neil Mackay, Senior Territory Manager, LumiraDx

Press Release
LumiraDx at ECCMID 2021: Performance Data presented on the use of the LumiraDx Platform with LumiraDx SARS-CoV-2 Ag and Ab Test
Press Release
LumiraDx Achieves CE Mark for Its High Sensitivity, High Throughput COVID-19 Molecular Test, RNA STAR Complete
Press Release
LumiraDx High Sensitivity Point of Care Antigen Test Detects Against Leading Variants of Concern including Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta