[W2] POCT Flashcards
(20 cards)
What is Point of Care Testing (POCT)?
The analysis of biological specimens outside of the central laboratory; also called near patient testing, bedside testing, or decentralised testing.
What are three key benefits of POCT?
- Quick turnaround time and faster decision-making
- Reduced hospital stays and improved patient flow
- Optimised drug treatment and reduced use of blood products
Why is POCT useful in emergency settings?
Because it provides rapid results that enable quicker decisions, such as moving patients out of A&E faster or starting treatment immediately.
What are some drawbacks of POCT?
- Higher cost per test compared to central lab
- Quality control concerns due to less technical staff
- Complex training and certification needs for thousands of users
What is MES in the context of POCT?
Managed Equipment Services – where analyzers are rented and reagent use is calculated based on usage.
What is required for POCT implementation?
- Business case and budget
- Device verification by multi-disciplinary team
- Training, reagent procurement, and ongoing maintenance
Why is location important for POCT?
POCT involves body fluids and is considered hazardous. Dedicated space with proper handwashing, waste disposal, and IT access is necessary.
What are key features of a dedicated POCT room?
- Sealed benching
- Splashbacks
- No patient access
- Proper waste bins
- Climate control
- Storage temperature monitoring
What should be included in a POCT risk assessment?
- Sample quality
- Pre-analytical and post-analytical errors
- COSHH
- Staff training
- IQC/EQA practices
What are the two main types of POCT devices?
- Benchtop analyzers
- Handheld devices
What is lateral flow testing?
A qualitative test for presence/absence of analytes, e.g. urine dipstick, pregnancy tests, COVID-19 antigen tests.
What is reflection photometry?
A method that measures reflected light intensity to quantify substances, used in dry reagent chemistry.
How do electrochemical glucose meters work?
They use glucose oxidase to directly generate an electrical current, which is measured to calculate glucose concentration.
What principle is used in spectrophotometry?
Measures light absorption to determine concentrations, e.g. used in blood gas analysis for ctHb, sO2, FCOHb, etc.
What is potentiometry?
Uses electrode potential (via Nernst equation) to measure ions like K+, Na+, and pH.
What is amperometry?
Measures the electrical current generated during oxidation/reduction, used for glucose, lactate, creatinine.
What is optical pO2 measurement based on?
Reduction of phosphorescence intensity in a dye by oxygen contact.
What are examples of POCT immunoassays?
- Radiometer AQT90FP for D-dimer, CRP, Troponin
- Lateral flow for pregnancy, drugs, HIV
- PCR-based SARS-CoV-2 tests
What is ROTEM (Rotational Thromboelastometry)?
A viscoelastic POCT test measuring whole blood clotting; resistance to rod oscillation indicates clot strength.
Why is QC important in POCT?
To detect/prevent systematic errors like reagent drift, and ensure sample quality for accurate results.
