Point-of-care (POC) testing (often written as POCT) is a growing market in the medical field. It is a means of liberating both health personnel and patients from traditional delivery methods of diagnostic testing. It is also one way to reduce the strain on a heavily burdened and often costly health care system.
Basic Description
POC testing often descriptively called bedside or mobile testing, refers to diagnostic tests that take place outside the traditional hospital setting. They occur at the “point of care.” This is usually at or nearby the residence or other place where the patient is located. Examples of potential locations for POCT are:
• Accident sites
• Ambulances
• Clinics
• Cruise ship
• Hospitals
• Military field hospital
• Nursing and long-term care facilities
• Patient’s residence e. g. apartment, house, condominium
• Physician’s offices
• Pharmacies
• Retirement homes
While they are usually performed by qualified personnel in healthcare such as nurses, paramedics, physicians, anaesthesia assistants, perfusionists, respiratory therapists and midwives, the patient can also administer these tests.
Advantages of POC Testing
There is little to no doubt about the advantages of utilizing POC testing. Using this approach can prove to be advantageous in both direct and indirect ways. This method:
1. Allows increased mobility of both staff and patients
2. Permits portability across all types of settings – rural and urban
3. Provides swift results for test results
These factors create three other advantages:
1. The acceleration of the decision-making process
2. It speeds up decisions regarding patient management
3. Hastens care efficiency
Overall, it can easily be argued the efficiency and efficacy of not only using but also increasing the deployment of POC testing.
Point of Care Testing
In the past few years, the employment of POC testing has increased. This trend is not perceived as decreasing any time soon. Experts predict future growth in this area. While questions remain on certain issues concerning patient self-delivery, further research will provide answers and improve the overall efficacy of self-delivered testing.
