CIE Topic 5 Flashcards
has been defined by the College of
American Pathologists (CAP) as “those analytical patient-testing activities
provided within the institution but performed outside the physical facilities of the clinical laboratories.”
Point of Care Testing (POCT)
Other names for POCT include (8)
near-patient
decentralized
Ancillary
alternate site
patient-focused
Bedside
Satellite
peripheral testing
Place of analysis (6)
- Physician’s offices
- Operating rooms
- Emergency rooms
- Intensive Care Units
- Home health care
- Patient performed
Personnel Issues (5)
- Most often performed by non-laboratorians
- Physicians
- Nurses or nurse aides
- Respiratory technicians
- Not specifically trained in the requirements for accurate testing and interpretation
Laboratory Support
- Laboratory still responsible for results
- Therefore responsible for training and management of POCT programs
- Laboratory must build a structure to support and facilitate POCT
Support Staff
- Director - PhD, MD or laboratory scientist or pathologist
- POC Coordinator – laboratory scientist with high level technical & interpersonal
skills - POC Trainers – designated person(s) for problem solving etc.
PhD, MD or laboratory scientist or pathologist
- Director
laboratory scientist with high level technical & interpersonal
- POC Coordinator
designated person(s) for problem solving etc.
- POC Trainers
Common Applications (7)
- Glucose Testing
- Chemistries
- Electrolytes
- Blood gases
- Hematology
- Coagulation
- Hematocrit
Glucose testing using these devices was introduced to hospitals around 1986.
The determination of the concentration of glucose in the blood (venous,
arterial, or capillary) is usually performed to diagnose or monitor diabetes
mellitus.
In general, portable glucose devices have improved in precision and accuracy
with each generation.
Glucometer, also known asglucose meters, are highly sophisticated,
requiring only a single drop of blood, and are conveniently sized and
portable.
Clinical Chemistry
