Point of care

Point of care is the performance of pathology tests in the clinical areas near patients and outside of the laboratory. 

The advantage being rapidly available results which aid clinical decisions.

Point of care testing (POCT)

Point of care biomedical instruments should only be used by staff who have been trained by the laboratory or instrument company. Contravention of the point of care testing policy could lead to disciplinary action and also result in medico-legal problems. 

Point of care testing policy (WAHT-PAT-001)

POCT contacts

POCT on each hospital site is coordinated by the pathology departments.

For information regarding any of the POCT devices please contact:

• x30619 (WRH)
• x44713 (Alex)

If you require new POCT equipment please contact Emma Illingworth on x30619

The day-to-day involvement of pathology staff in POCT includes:

•  Equipment maintenance and troubleshooting
•  Training and retraining of appropriate staff
•  Organisation of the supply of Quality Control (IQC)
•  Monitoring External Quality Assurance (EQA)

POCT equipment and tests available

Blood Glucose Meters

• Abbott Optium Xceed
• Abbott Freestyle Optium H
• Abbott Xceed Precision Pro
• Abbott Freestyle Precision Pro
• Nova Biomedical StatStrip
• HemoCue 201 Glucose

Blood Ketone Meters

• Abbott Optium Xceed
• Abbott Freestyle Optium H
• Abbott Xceed Precision Pro
• Abbott Freestyle Precision Pro

There are currently more than 230 glucose meters in operation covered by the POCT team on the various different sites

Blood Gas Analysers

• Instumentation Laboratory (IL) Gem Premier 4000

14 gas machines are available on the 3 sites – 9 at WRH, 4 at AHR and 1 at KTC covered by the POCT team.

Blood INR

• Roche Coagucheck XS plus

Blood Hb analyser

• Hemocue 201 Hb

HbA1C

• Siemens DCA Vantage

Pregnancy Testing

• Invitech Pregnancy Test strips

Urine Stick Testing

• Roche Cobas Combur 7

Fetal Fibronectin

• Adeza Biomedical Quickcheck fFN