IFCC Consensus: Recommendations for Managing Point-of-Care Testing Outside Hospitals
The IFCC Committee on Point-of-Care Testing published consensus recommendations for POCT performed by healthcare professionals without formal laboratory training in settings outside hospitals. While acknowledging the benefits of decentralized testing, the committee emphasizes that risks must be managed through proper equipment selection, education, quality oversight, and laboratory involvement. The recommendations provide a framework for regulatory bodies, manufacturers, and healthcare organizations to ensure reliable results and minimize patient harm.
The original study
Point-of-care testing performed by healthcare professionals outside the hospital setting: consensus based recommendations from the IFCC Committee on Point-of-Care Testing (IFCC C-POCT).
- Authors
- Khan AI, Pratumvinit B, Jacobs E, Kost GJ, Kary H, Balla J, et al.
- Journal
- Clinical chemistry and laboratory medicine
- Type
- Journal Article, Consensus Statement
- PMID
- 37267483
Original abstract
The International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC) Committee on Point-of-Care Testing (C-POCT) supports the use of point-of-care testing (POCT) outside of the hospital setting performed by healthcare professionals without formal laboratory education because of its numerous benefits. However, these benefits are associated with risks that must be managed, to ensure the provision of reliable test results and minimize harm to the patient. Healthcare professionals, local regulatory bodies, accredited laboratories as well as manufacturers should actively be engaged in education, oversight and advice to ensure that the healthcare professional selects the appropriate equipment and is able to analyze, troubleshoot and correctly interpret the point-of-care (POC) test results.