The approach to delivering healthcare is changing in a way that is very relevant to point of care testing. The objective now is to make the interaction between the patient and the carer more effective, taking a more integrated approach. Empowering the patient in this way not only increases overall efficiency but improves patient outcomes.
By 2020 there will be a shift away from today’s focus on acute care and late stage interventions to earlier and minimally invasive treatments. In the drive to reduce time spent in hospital, more tests will be carried out in a variety of settings - hospital, ambulance, doctor’s office, or even in the home.
Speed and convenience of handheld technology are certainly important. But a more fundamental approach is required than simply introducing more analysers, this time for use at point of care.
There is a need to develop point of care platforms that are able to perform a wide menu of complex in vitro diagnostic tests from minute samples, with the accuracy associated with laboratory systems.
We envisage a future where IT connectivity will build a network linking point of care decentralised testing locations to all those in the care cycle – with the patient at its centre.
Chris Price, visiting professor, Clinical Biochemistry, University of Oxford
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