Point-of-Care Testing (POCT) in Emergency and Critical Care Settings: Clinical Outcomes and Laboratory Integration
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22399/ijcesen.4857Keywords:
Point-of-Care Testing (POCT), Emergency Medicine, Critical Care, Clinical Outcomes, Turnaround Time (TAT), Laboratory IntegrationAbstract
Point-of-Care Testing (POCT) has emerged as a transformative paradigm in emergency and critical care medicine, fundamentally altering the diagnostic timeline by delivering crucial laboratory results at the patient's bedside within minutes rather than hours. This capability for rapid clinical decision-making directly enhances the management of time-sensitive conditions such as acute coronary syndromes, septic shock, major trauma, and life-threatening metabolic imbalances, ultimately contributing to improved patient outcomes through earlier intervention and more dynamic treatment guidance. However, the integration of POCT into these high-stakes environments extends beyond technological deployment, necessitating a robust framework of laboratory stewardship to ensure analytical reliability. Successful implementation hinges on a multidisciplinary approach that addresses stringent quality management, comprehensive operator training, seamless data connectivity with electronic health records, and a holistic assessment of cost-effectiveness that values clinical efficiency gains alongside per-test costs. The future of POCT points toward even greater integration through multiplexed syndromic panels, continuous monitoring, and artificial intelligence, yet its enduring value and safety remain contingent upon its systematic governance as an indispensable component of a unified, patient-centered diagnostic strategy.
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