QUALITY IMPROVEMENT AND POINT-OF-CARE TESTING

As technology makes smaller user friendly devices available with an ev er expanding menu of tests, clinical pathologists and clinical chemist s are faced with the challenge to evaluate not only the precision and accuracy of these devices for point-of-care testing, but also their be nefit to patient care cost, and reliability in the hands of individual users. Each institution will provide its unique set of advantages and disadvantages for each device. These factors, taken together, will le ad to a rational decision to implement or not to implement the device. Concepts of quality improvement for point-of-care testing programs li ke regulations, administrative organization, specific quality assuranc e plan, training of nonlaboratory personnel performing the point-of-ca re tests, cost and patient outcome analysis, will aid in this decision making and implementation process.