At St. Antonius Hospital in the Netherlands, work is underway to further develop an automated blood sampling machine capable of taking over some of the staff’s tasks. The ‘Aletta’ system can independently locate a vein, insert a needle and apply a plaster. The device has already been used on nearly two thousand patients. According to clinical chemist Thijs van Holten, the technology delivers consistent quality and can help address staff shortages. Together with his colleague Chris Hackeng, he is further developing Aletta.
“The advantage of the blood collection device is that it draws blood more effectively and to a consistent standard, whilst also helping to resolve staff shortages,” says Van Holten. The device is also particularly effective at drawing blood from people with deeper veins, such as those who are overweight. Van Holten cites the development and use of the device (in Dutch) as a wonderful example of the innovative strength of St. Antonius Hospital.
Developed in collaboration
The blood collection device is a product of Utrecht-based Vitestro and was developed in close collaboration with St. Antonius, the OLVG Lab, Amsterdam UMC and Result Lab. During his keynote speech at the ICT&health World Conference in May 2024, Lucien Engelen gave a live demonstration of the blood collection device.
Next year, the St. Antonius Hospital expects to put two devices into regular use initially, followed by another three. Aletta has since also attracted interest from other hospitals in the Netherlands. This interest extends beyond the country’s borders as well, as last week the leading medical-technical journal Clinical Chemistry published an article by Van Holten and Hackeng about Aletta.
The blood collection device uses ultrasound and infrared imaging to locate suitable veins in the forearm, almost always punctures accurately and can collect several tubes of blood, which it then gently mixes with substances that keep the blood fluid. After the puncture, Aletta automatically replaces the used needle with a new one, so that the system is ready for the next patient.
Research
Over the past six months, Aletta has been part of a research project at the blood collection centre in Nieuwegein. A large banner drew visitors’ attention to her presence. The research focused on people taking anticoagulant medication and formed part of a large study in which 1,966 patients have participated so far.
The vast majority had no objections or were even downright enthusiastic, says Van Holten. He also notes that a number of people were concerned about staff employment. But those people could be reassured. “It’s not at risk. Aletta actually helps to solve staff shortages. Moreover, there will always be a need for someone to support patients; it’s nice for them to see a human face. And there will always be a need for people to take blood samples,” says Van Holten.
Acceptance
Van Holten is pleased with the acceptance of the blood-taking device. During the design phase, particular attention was paid to the design and appearance, partly based on expectations gathered from people beforehand regarding a blood-taking robot and their experience with it in practice. The reactions have been overwhelmingly positive. The device is currently being rotated between four hospitals involved in its development. Van Holten expects that next year, two systems will be in permanent use at the blood collection centre in Nieuwegein, with a possible expansion thereafter.
In September 2023, we wrote about the OLVG, which was the first to start using the blood collection device developed by Vitestro. The manufacturer then announced a global clinical trial (in Dutch). The system uses AI-driven, ultrasound-guided 3D reconstruction to locate blood vessels and combines this with robotic needle insertion, further automating the blood collection process.
