Executive summary. The National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory Medicine Practice Guideline: evidence-based practice for point-of-care testing.
BACKGROUND
Point-of-care testing (POCT) is clinical laboratory testing conducted close to the site of patient care. POCT has the potential to provide faster test results and therapeutic intervention with improved patient outcomes. However, when over-utilized or used inappropriately POCT results can be misleading and increase healthcare costs.


METHODS
The National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry developed evidence-based Laboratory Medicine Practice Guidelines for POCT.


RESULTS
These Laboratory Medicine Practice Guidelines systematically review the scientific literature relating POCT to clinical outcomes and offer recommendations to improve the clinical utility of POCT.


CONCLUSIONS
These guidelines will be useful to clinicians considering the addition of POCT, to those that question current practices in POCT, and to clinicians seeking evidence-based support for POCT in clinical management. These guidelines represent the most comprehensive systematic review of the POCT literature to date and will help define future research that is needed to add to our current POCT knowledge base.
Nichols
James H
JH
Baystate Health, Springfield, MA 01199, USA. james.nichols@bhs.org
Christenson
Robert H
RH
Clarke
William
W
Gronowski
Ann
A
Hammett-Stabler
Catherine A
CA
Jacobs
Ellis
E
Kazmierczak
Steve
S
Lewandrowski
Kent
K
Price
Christopher
C
Sacks
David B
DB
Sautter
Robert L
RL
Shipp
Gregg
G
Sokoll
Lori
L
Watson
Ian D
ID
Winter
William
W
Zucker
Marcia L
ML
D006801:Humans; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems / Q000592:standards*