MLO | July/August 2022 by Steven Valorz, Carol Wise MT(ASCP),
Zach Fortuna, MLS, CPP, Karen Carver, MT
As the demand for point-of-care testing (POCT) continues to grow and the testing becomes more complex, it is more important than ever to be able to track and monitor all aspects of a POCT program and get all test results into the patient record in a timely manner. The pandemic made it clear that POCT is crucial and can take place just about anywhere — retail locations, campus parking lots, physician office labs, clinics, and mobile vans. Along with expanding locations, POCT has moved far beyond just glucose and urine dipsticks.
We are now seeing devices that are usually considered ‘main lab’ moving out to these decentralized locations. No matter the location of the testing, the responsibility for the management of the testing, most often, still falls on laboratory personnel. Device connectivity and a robust data manager are imperative for a successful program by providing testing that is safe for patients and helping meet accreditation requirements.