As point-of-care testing becomes ever more prevalent, Afia Boamah takes a look at how NHS trusts can benefit from an integrated ecosystem approach to services undertaken outside the confines of the laboratory.
As pressures such as an ageing population, a rise in obesity and a growing number of chronic diseases threaten to drive up healthcare costs, NHS trusts are adopting fundamental changes to the way they function. Quality remains a central goal of patient care, but that quality must now be delivered with greater efficiency.
Point-of-care (POC) testing is a key aspect in the productive and effective delivery of healthcare; the ability to deliver fast and reliable results near the patient is core to improving patient outcomes and optimising clinical workflow. Owing to this, we need to ‘think smart’ and use resources effectively, shifting from an historical product-centred focus to adopting an all-encompassing ecosystem approach. Such an holistic view should be able to provide access to POC devices, oversee quality control, manage staff training, and identify and resolve issues from anywhere through remote access.
Understanding point-of-care and regulatory challenges
A key challenge within point of care is maintaining control and regulatory compliance of operators performing testing at various locations across different sites. Maintaining compliance requirements for POC testing should include operator management, device management, quality control (QC) and compliance reporting.
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