How Gastric pH Verification Reduces Patient Discomfort

Every minute a patient waits for NG/OG tube confirmation is another minute of uncertainty, discomfort, or delayed care. Traditional verification methods—X-rays, auscultation, or visual aspirate checks—can prolong this process and increase patient stress.

Gastric pH testing offers a faster, less invasive alternative. It gives care teams immediate placement confirmation, minimizes unnecessary procedures, and helps patients start feeding or treatment without delay. At RightBio Metrics, we believe safer care should also feel better—for every patient.

The Problem with Traditional Tube Placement Verification

NG/OG tube verification is essential for preventing complications like aspiration pneumonia, but common verification tools come with drawbacks:

• X-rays require patient transport, introduce radiation exposure, and can delay care by 45–90 minutes or more.
  
• Auscultation, or the “whoosh test,” is no longer recommended due to high error rates and its reliance on subjective interpretation.
  
• Visual inspection of aspirate is imprecise and often unreliable—especially in high-acuity or pediatric settings.
  

These methods can result in multiple insertions, repeated verifications, and added discomfort—especially for vulnerable patients in the ICU, NICU, or ED.

How Gastric pH Testing Works to Verify Tube Placement

Gastric pH testing uses the stomach’s natural acidity as a clear marker for correct tube placement. When aspirated fluid has a pH of 5.5 or less, clinicians can confidently confirm the tube is in the stomach—not the lungs or esophagus.

With the RightSpotpH® Indicator, the process is simple:

1. Insert the tube
   
2. Aspirate a small sample (as little as 0.1 mL)
   
3. Apply to the pH indicator
   
4. Read results instantly with a clear color change
   

This process takes seconds, not hours—keeping patients more comfortable and care teams more efficient.

How It Improves the Patient Experience

Immediate Relief from Waiting

Patients waiting for tube confirmation often can’t eat, take medications, or rest comfortably. With pH testing, you can verify placement and proceed with care immediately, improving outcomes and reducing anxiety.

Fewer Reinsertions

Real-time feedback lets providers make small adjustments during placement—helping avoid the need for complete reinsertion, which patients often describe as one of the most uncomfortable procedures in their hospital stay.

Minimized Radiation Exposure

X-rays remain valuable in certain situations, but by reducing their routine use through gastric pH testing, you protect your patients from unnecessary radiation exposure. This is especially important for:

• Neonates and children in your care
• Pregnant women requiring tube feeding
• Patients who need frequent tube placement checks
• Those with chronic conditions needing long-term tube feeding

Minimal Sample, Maximum Comfort

When you use the RightSpotpH® Indicator, you only need a small aspirate sample (as little as 0.1 mL), making it far less invasive than other verification methods. This minimal sample requirement preserves gastric contents, which can be important for diagnostic testing or medication absorption assessment. The approach particularly benefits your:

• Neonatal patients in the NICU with delicate systems and limited gastric volume
• Elderly patients with fragile tissues who experience more discomfort with larger aspirations
• Patients with high anxiety about medical procedures who benefit from quicker, simpler verification
• Individuals with conditions that make transportation for X-rays particularly uncomfortable

Benefits Across Different Healthcare Settings

ICU Settings

In intensive care units, your patients often have multiple medical devices and may be on mechanical ventilation. The quick verification provided by gastric pH testing reduces their cumulative discomfort from multiple procedures and gives you confidence in tube placement in these complex cases.

Emergency Departments

In emergency situations, rapid verification allows you to begin necessary treatments without delay, reducing the time your patients spend in discomfort or distress. When minutes matter in your ED, the RightSpotpH® Indicator provides results when you need them most.

NICU and Pediatric Care

For your smallest patients, minimizing discomfort is particularly important. The RightSpotpH® SmallBore device is specifically designed for smaller tubes (10Fr or less), making it ideal for these vulnerable patients with limited tolerance for invasive procedures.

Cost Considerations That Impact Patient Experience

Beyond improved patient comfort, the economic benefits of gastric pH testing directly affect both your facility’s bottom line and your patients’ experience. When you implement this verification method, you’ll see multiple financial advantages:

• Reduced X-ray usage lowers direct costs for your facility and patients
• Faster verification shortens hospital stays, improving throughput
• Fewer complications lead to better outcomes and reduced readmissions
• Less staff time spent on verification procedures increases efficiency

These savings translate to more time for direct patient care and reduced financial burden on your patients and healthcare system.

Easy to Implement, Easy to Use

RightBio Metrics offers multiple pH indicator options to fit your patient population:

• RightSpotpH® Indicator – for standard NG/OG tubes
  
• RightSpotpH® ENFit – compatible with ENFit connection systems
  
• RightSpotpH® SmallBore – for neonatal and pediatric patients

Each one is intuitive to use and fits smoothly into your existing workflows. Most care teams complete training in minutes and feel confident verifying placement right away.

See It in Action

Want to reduce X-rays, improve patient comfort, and verify NG/OG placement faster? Schedule a live demo of the RightSpotpH® system and see how your team can provide safer, more comfortable care—right at the bedside.

Ready to improve patient comfort with gastric pH verification? Contact Us to Setup a Live Demo and see how RightBio Metrics can help your facility provide better care.