INTRODUCTION Forward deployed military medical units can provide sophisticated medical care with limited resources. Point-of-Care Testing (POCT) may facilitate care and expedite diagnosis. This study assessed the accuracy of results for POCT for non-serum samples (pleural, peritoneal, and cerebrospinal fluid) using iSTAT and Piccolo hand-held devices compared with results obtained using a hospi...

BACKGROUND While point of care testing (PoCT) for general practitioners is becoming increasingly popular, few studies have investigated whether it represents value for money. This study aims to assess the relative cost-effectiveness of PoCT in general practice (GP) compared to usual testing practice through a pathology laboratory. METHODS A cost-effectiveness analysis based on a randomized co...

Celiac disease (CD) is a largely undiagnosed immune-mediated enteropathy. A point-of-care test (POCT) could represent a rapid and cost-effective tool on ruling out CD. The objective of this study is to evaluate retrospectively the performance of a POCT based on detection of IgA and IgG antibodies against deamidated gliadins peptides (DGP). The study was performed on 53 children presenting clini...

BACKGROUND Point-of-care testing (POCT) of prothrombin time, expressed as International Normalized Ratio (INR), is widely used to monitor patients in oral anticoagulation treatment. Guidelines recommend that POCT users should participate in an external quality assessment (EQA) scheme whenever available. The aim of this study was to investigate which European countries provide EQA for POCT INR a...

This POCT (point of care testing) team was constructed at the start of 2012 to implement the POCT project aiming to define and test the hypothesis that interfacing POCT devices to a clinical electronic order communications system reduces patient waiting times in an NHS Accident and Emergency Department (A&E). The devices selected for evaluation initially comprised the Sysmex XS 1000i haematolog...

The application of glucose point of care testing (PoCT) in hospitals has been a contentious subject for many years. No information is available regarding the extent to which glucose PoCT is used within the Australian hospital system and whether such testing is fit for its intended purpose. The aim of this study was to investigate the extent to which glucose PoCT is used within three teaching ho...

PURPOSE Our study compared clinical decision time between patients managed with a point-of-care chemistry test (POCT) and patients managed with the traditional central laboratory test (CLT). BASIC PROCEDURE This was a randomized controlled multicenter trial in the emergency departments (EDs) of 5 academic teaching hospitals. We randomly assigned patients to POCT or CLT stratified by the Emerg...

This guideline provides a framework for the arrangement of point-of-care testing (POCT) services, previously known as near patient testing (patient self-testing not covered). POCT is defined as any analytical test performed outside the laboratory. Primary users are often non-laboratory healthcare workers. The guidance applies to units within hospitals as well as general practioner surgeries, co...

INTRODUCTION In remote Australia timely access to pathology results and subsequent follow-up of patients for treatment is very challenging due to the long distances to the nearest laboratory. Point-of-care testing (POCT) offers a practical solution for pathology service provision in such remote communities. Since 2008, POCT for haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) has been conducted in remote Northern Terri...

Point-of-care testing (POCT) has evolved as an important part of laboratory medicine by virtue of its compactness, portability, and the feasibility of operation by nonlaboratory personnel, where fast and accurate testing methods are a primary concern and, as a result, improving the patient care. To successfully achieve POCT quality in networks, a multidisciplinary organizational approach is req...