POINT OF CARE TESTING
In the early days of medicine, few medical tests existed that were done at the patient’s bedside. Medical testing has later evolved and has made a great impact in improving the health of the patient.
In the early days of medicine, few medical tests existed that were done at the patient’s bedside. Medical testing has later evolved and has made a great impact in improving the health of the patient. In many cases, the simplicity was not achievable until technology developed not only to make a test possible at all but then also to mask its complexity. Point of care testing (POCT) is defined as diagnostic testing that is performed at or near to the site of the patient with the result leading to a potential change in the care of that patient. Although centralised laboratories offer a much wider range of tests and remain the mainstay of diagnostic testing, POCT can offer a rapid turnaround time with a potentially immediate impact on patient care. It became common to send samples away to laboratories and then wait days to weeks for results.
The need for faster test results has grown and certain testing devices have become portable and easy to use, medical testing has evolved once again. Nowadays, results from clinical laboratories remain a crucial component of health care, but they are now complemented by tests performed outside of the laboratory, wherever you are. Point of care testing requires trained operators to ensure good quality service.
Advantages of Point of Care Testing
- The main advantage of point-of-care testing is the shorter time it takes to obtain a result. Typically, results may also be presented in a way that is easier to understand, but this is not always the case and results may still require a healthcare professional to interpret them safely.
- Convenient- the testing and consultation including treatment takes place in the same visit.
- They require easy sample collection and low volumes of the samples such as finger-prick blood.
- Rapid results can allow treatment to be put into effect quickly.
- Reduce cost of care.
Devices for point-of-care tests come in a variety of forms. They may use basic dipsticks as with urinalysis, handheld devices like glucose meters, or sophisticated benchtop analysers such as those used to assess blood gases in critically ill patients. A healthcare professional may use a handheld device to perform a test at a patient’s bedside. Alternatively, that healthcare professional may collect a blood sample from the patient and walk the sample down the hallway to a lab, where the sample is processed and tested on instrumentation. Both examples are considered point-of-care testing. Below are some of the Point of care Test that Biolab Eswatini will be conducting;
Test that Biolab Eswatini will be conducting;
- TB Lam
- Rheumatoid Factor
- Cryptococcal Antigen
- Pregnancy Test
- Malaria RDT
- ABO and Rh blood grouping
- Syphilis RPR
- Hemoglobin (Hb)
- HBsAg
- HIV determinant
- Drug Panel
- Cholesterol
- Glucose
