Thrombocalc, Empowering clinicians with precision dosing for thrombosis treatment

The brief

Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) is a leading cause of preventable hospital deaths. To treat it, clinicians often use Enoxaparin, a blood-thinning medication. However, calculating the correct dosage is notoriously complex; it requires precise adjustments based on a patient’s weight, age, and renal function (kidney health).

Traditionally, doctors relied on paper charts or manual mental arithmetic, a process that is time-consuming and prone to human error. Errors that can lead to life-threatening bleeding or ineffective treatment.

The goal

The goal was to digitise this critical clinical calculation by creating a reliable, easy-to-use mobile tool. We aimed to build an application that would allow healthcare professionals to input patient data at the bedside and instantly receive a clinically validated dosage recommendation.

The primary objective was to improve patient safety, reduce the cognitive load on busy medical staff, and ensure consistency in prescribing practices across hospital wards.

The solution

Marino partnered with clinical experts to transform complex medical protocols into a streamlined digital experience:

• Validated algorithms. We translated intricate medical dosing guidelines into a robust logic engine that handles variables like BMI and creatinine clearance with mathematical precision.
• Bedside UX design. Knowing that doctors operate in high-pressure environments, we designed a “zero-friction” interface. The app requires minimal inputs and provides clear, unambiguous results in seconds.
• Clinical safety checks. The app includes built-in warnings and “guardrails” to alert clinicians if a patient’s profile falls into a high-risk category that requires manual consultant review.
• Offline functionality. Recognising that hospital Wi-Fi can be unreliable, we ensured the app functions entirely offline, providing critical calculations whenever and wherever they are needed.

The outcome

Thrombocalc has become a vital tool in the clinical toolkit, significantly enhancing the standard of care for patients at risk of thrombosis:

• Elimination of calculation errors. By automating the math, the app has virtually eliminated the risk of manual dosage errors, directly contributing to improved patient safety.
• Efficiency at the point of care. Clinicians can now determine a precise dose in seconds rather than minutes, allowing them to spend more time on direct patient interaction.
• Standardised care. The app ensures that every patient, regardless of which ward or doctor they see, receives a dose calculated against the exact same high-standard clinical protocol.
• High clinical adoption. Due to its simplicity and reliability, the app has seen widespread organic adoption among junior doctors and consultants alike, becoming a “gold standard” for VTE management.

“Our latest project, Thrombocalc 2.0, is a prime example of this ethos, delivering better digital services, faster, to improve patient care and streamline clinical workflows. Marino Software helped us to identify what could be digitalised, validate and integrate with technical design, and deliver an application that frankly exceeded what we had envisioned. We’re now excited to scale Thrombocalc working with Marino.”

Brian Cleary PhD, Pharmacy Executive Manager, Rotunda Hospital