title: [Point-of-care testing in family practices: present use and need for tests in the future].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide insight into the current use, future needs, and attitudes towards point-of-care testing among Dutch family practitioners.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional online survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a survey among 2129 Dutch family practitioners. We asked respondents to report on the current and desired use of point-of-care tests, frequency of use, their opinions on aspects of point-of-care tests and consequences of point-of-care tests on their practice, acceptable waiting times for test results to come in, the desire for point-of-care tests at out-of-hours services, and conditions for which a point-of-care test could assist in diagnosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  639 family practitioners completed the survey (response rate: 30%). The most common point-of-care tests currently used by family physicians were: blood glucose (96%), urine leucocytes or nitrite (96%), urine pregnancy (94%), haemoglobin (58%), and CRP (48%). The most commonly desired point-of-care tests were: D-dimer (70%), troponin (65%), BNP (62%), chlamydia (60%), and INR (54%). Family practitioners expected point-of-care tests to have a positive effect on patient satisfaction (93%), diagnostic certainty (89%), antibiotics use (84%), and substitution to primary care (78%). They considered the proven effect on clinical management (46%) and the tests' reliability (35%) to be important aspects of point-of-care tests. Respondents wanted point-of-care tests to help them diagnose acute conditions, such as acute thromboembolic disorders (D-dimers), cardiac disorders (troponin, BNP), and infections (CRP, chlamydia).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current use of point-of-care testing in family practice is restricted to a limited number of tests. In the future, Dutch family practitioners wish to use more point-of-care tests, especially in acute conditions in which a diagnostic decision needs to be made immediately.
authors.affiliation: Universiteit Maastricht, School for Public Health and Primary Care (CAPHRI), afd. Huisartsgeneeskunde, Maastricht.
authors.forename: Jochen W L
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Cals
authors.forename: Angel M R
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Schols
authors.forename: Henk C P M
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: van Weert
authors.forename: Femke
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.forename: Camiel G I P
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Zeijen
authors.forename: Gea
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Holtman
authors.forename: Wim A M
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Lucassen
authors.forename: Marjolein Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Berger
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D005194:Family Practice / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends*; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires