BD, Babson Diagnostics Launches Fingertip Blood Testing to Health Care Organizations

BD and Babson Diagnostics, a science-first healthcare technology company, announced a new blood testing process to advance fingertip blood collection and testing technologies for use by U.S. health systems. This is an expansion of BD and Babson’s collaboration to advance capillary blood testing, which started in 2016 and has since evolved into a strategic partnership.

The blood testing process integrates BD’s MiniDraw Capillary Blood Collection System with Babson’s BetterWay technologies to enable test results from six drops of capillary blood collected from a patient’s finger. 

This new blood testing process can be used in large provider networks in settings like urgent care, doctor offices, and other ambulatory care settings.

With this less-invasive alternative to venipuncture blood draws, samples can be collected and prepared by any trained healthcare worker, including those without prior phlebotomy experience.

“In areas of the U.S. where there are gaps in services or shortages of trained phlebotomy professionals, patients may experience delays in blood draws or not receive care they need,” said Bridget Bagnato, worldwide president of Specimen Management at BD. “By simplifying one of the most common procedures, together we’re making blood testing less invasive and more convenient to help health care organizations increase efficiency and access while helping to improving patient satisfaction and outcomes.”

“BetterWay and BD MiniDraw™ are defining what’s next in health care,” said David Stein, Babson’s CEO. “BD has been innovating blood collection technology for 75 years and we believe our partnership will deliver a potentially transformative technology to support innovative and patient-focused health care organizations in better reaching and serving patients.”

BetterWay blood testing has been available in retail settings since May 2024, with expanding access to blood collection to new locations, including local pharmacies. This expansion will bring it to patients in ambulatory care sites throughout the United States.