The point-of-care testing in the emergency department

Abstract

The decentralization of analysis at the emergency room is a well-established practice, in particular for the use of blood gas analysis. Recently, many other analyzers have been proposed, with rapid methods that can potentially reduce the response time of the tests. Here we consider the various analyzers that can be used at the bedside, their advantages and limits, the related scientific evidences. Finally, we discuss their impact both on patient care and on accelerating the patient’s flow in the emergency room.

Keywords

• Point-of-care testing
• Turnaround time
• Near patient testing
• Evidence-based medicine
• Laboratory medicine