Point of Care Testing: Advantages and Devices
It’s incredible to consider the degree to which medical technology has evolved over the past few decades. Medical devices are now cheaper, more readily available, and more accurate than ever before, to the benefit of both patients and clinicians. A significant outcome that has arisen from increased investment in research and development is the point of care device.
Equipment that was previously loud, bulky, and required excessive power to run has now been reduced to the size of a portable, handheld device. This has improved the ability of clinicians to diagnose and treat patients in an efficient manner, which is, after all, the goal of healthcare.
Point of care devices are a must for any healthcare facility that requires rapid result turnarounds or sees large numbers of patients per day. Paragon Care’s extensive portfolio of critical care products includes point of care (POC) ultrasound machines, favoured by clinicians who require a balance between speed and accuracy of results.
What is point-of-care testing?
As the name suggests, point-of-care testing is diagnostic testing completed at the side of the patient. The sample is taken and the results obtained a short time later.
Point-of-care testing is not necessarily a new concept. Diabetics, for example, have been using point-of-care devices to test their blood sugar levels since the 1970s, paving the way for the wide range of point-of-care devices that are available on the market today. Rapid antigen tests are another example of a point-of-care diagnostic device. These portable products can be purchased over the counter and have recently proved critical in face of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Point-of-care testing is not only used in the medical industry. Veterinarians, particularly those who work in remote or rural locations, also have great use for these devices.
Point-of-care vs laboratory testing
Point-of-care testing is often spoken of in contrast to traditional laboratory testing. For a long time, the only way of obtaining important diagnostic information was by sending results away to a separate laboratory, where it joined the queue of other samples waiting to be studied. The entire process of taking a sample, having it tested, and getting the results back to a clinician could take weeks.
Critically ill patients often don’t have this time to spare. Point of care products, therefore, were quickly adopted as important critical care products.
Point-of-care testing can also be performed by those who do not possess formal laboratory training, such as nurses. The results are typically quite easy to interpret and only require a small sample — a pinprick of blood or a small amount of urine, for example — for the test to be performed.
There are some disadvantages to point-of-care devices. The environment in which you are testing, for example, may not be as sterile as a formal laboratory. Depending on the type of test, point-of-care results can be more expensive to obtain than traditional laboratory testing. However, in most situations, point-of-care testing plays a valuable role in ensuring patients get the care they need in as short a time as possible.
Paragon Care — leaders in innovation
Here at Paragon Care, we pride ourselves on our innovative and forward-thinking attitude. We see advancements such as point-of-care devices as being critical to propelling the medical equipment industry forward, and as such, strive to provide our customers with the latest in equipment and supplies.
Our range of critical care products includes the BK Medical point-of-care ultrasound system, which pushes the boundaries of medical imaging technology. We are always looking for new products to add to our portfolio and ways of further supporting our valued customers.
Contact our friendly and knowledgeable customer service team today to find out more.