Description:

The i-STAT 1 Wireless is a palm-size, electrochemical analyzer that accepts single-use microfluidic cartridges covering blood gases, chemistries, cardiac markers, coagulation and more. Operators load 17–95 µL of fresh whole blood into a sealed cartridge, insert it, and in about two minutes the dot-matrix LCD displays a full panel; onboard QC checks each cycle. Results are stored locally and—thanks to an embedded 802.11 b/g radio—can upload automatically to LIS/EMR without a downloader cradle. A barcode scanner, 1 000-record memory, and infrared port support offline workflows, while two 9-V lithium cells (or a NiMH pack) power roughly a shift’s worth of testing. The rugged ABS housing (≈ 23 oz) slips into a lab-coat pocket yet survives routine cleaning and disinfectant wipes.

Economic Advantage:

Before the i-STAT platform, clinicians waited 30–60 minutes for central-lab chem panels; critical-care staff often ordered broad “stat” batteries just to save steps. By delivering lab-grade numbers bedside in minutes and pushing them wirelessly straight into the chart, the i-STAT 1 Wireless slashes turnaround time, trims needless draw tubes, and frees nurses from courier runs. Faster, data-rich decisions shorten ED disposition and ICU length-of-stay, while the cartridge model avoids the capital and maintenance costs of benchtop analyzers—turning every bedside into a mini-lab and paying for itself in throughput and reduced send-outs.