From Finger Prick to One Click: Ash Launches Tasso Blood Collection Device

This week, Ash announced our integration of the Tasso device into our platform. This launch adds another collection method to our expanding test menu, enabling wet blood collection capabilities for clients around the nation.

Understanding the Tasso Device

With a sharp-focus on patient experience, adding the most user-friendly blood collection device on the market to our suite of services was a no-brainer. 

The Tasso device is a virtually pain-free lancet that collects microtainer blood samples from the upper arm with just one click. The device is FDA 510k-cleared and is an alternative to a finger prick lancet and dry blood spot cards. This lancet has been used over one million times and the patient response is staggering:

• More than 95% of the users prefer Tasso over legacy methods¹
• More than 97% of patients are willing to use the Tasso device again¹

Use of the device is incredibly simple. The Tasso button sticks to the skin with a light adhesive. When the button is pressed, a vacuum forms and a lancet pricks the surface of the skin. The vacuum draws blood out of the capillaries and into a compatible container attached to the bottom of the Tasso Button.

Benefits of Tasso

While there are many benefits to dry blood card testing, there are numerous instances where the Tasso device and wet blood samples can be more appropriate to meet an organization’s goals and patient needs. 

1. Unlocks New York State population for clients that have large populations in New York or are solely based in New York, as self-collection blood samples with dry blood spot cards are not cleared for use in New York. 
2. Easier experience for patients who have a fear of needles and are adverse to finger pricks.
3. Premium patient experience for virtual providers looking to provide an end-to-end white glove virtual healthcare experience.
4. Allows for larger blood samples for large panels that typically would require multiple dry blood spot cards. The Tasso device collects 500µL of blood in a single draw, whereas a dry blood spot card typically holds 50-75µL per circle. While cards have multiple circles and you can offer multiple cards - it can be a cumbersome process for patients.
   

What panels are available with Tasso?

While Ash can offer Tasso with any blood test on the market validated for self-collection, our initial offering will consist of three panels:

1. Complete Metabolic Panel - Lite: This comprehensive panel will unlock opportunities for providers that want to offer a panel that closely mirrors a Complete Metabolic Panel, which can only be collected via a venous blood draw. This panel is perfect for providers looking to check eligibility for GLP-1 medication, have a baseline for new telehealth patients, and help combat the increasing prevalence of metabolic disorders.
2. Diabetes Test: This HbA1c test will enable clients to help patients comfortably check their blood sugar levels
3. Kidney Function Panel: This important gap closure solution will enable clients to check for Chronic Kidney Disease within their diabetic population to meet the KED HEDIS measure. The test consists of a urine and wet blood sample and measures Creatinine, eGFR, and uACR.

Check out our test menu to learn more about the biomarkers in these panels, and to get an idea of our other commonly requested panels.

Why partner with Ash to deliver Tasso to patients?

The Ash platform is built to easily integrate with any collection device and lab in the United States. This model enables rapid innovation to meet the needs of the market so our clients don’t need to worry about contracting with multiple lab partners to meet the needs of their growing business. It also allows the Ash team to focus on creating best-in-class patient experiences that yield the best return rates on the market. ‍

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The patient experience

While multiple testing vendors on the market offer the Tasso device, not all test kits are created equal. Prior to launching Tasso, Ash conducted extensive user testing to improve the patient experience. We took the following measures before bringing the program to patients.

1. Improved instructions to intuitively guide patients through the sample collection process and reduce rejection rates at the lab. Our team created illustration-first instructions that are large, broken out into easy to understand sections, and focus on filling out the sample label.
2. Sourced new kit components including an easy to use heat pack that more patients are able to activate and use.  
3. Created a larger label to collect patient information that has been moved from the microtainer to the biohazard bag so that the size could be increased by over 3x, and we could reduce the amount of people who didn’t fill out the label, or sent it back to the lab illegible. 

This superior experience coupled with our platform offering, makes Ash the partner of choice for organizations looking to offer Tasso. Interested in learning more about our platform or custom panels? Let’s chat. 

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References:1. Based on Tasso internal data