For many patients, the laboratory experience remains a mystery. Once a blood sample is collected and sent off, the waiting begins—sometimes for hours, other times for days. Few patients understand the factors that influence result timelines or the potential impacts of delays. Ultimately, they just want answers: What’s wrong, if anything?
However, times are changing. Patients are becoming inundated with information about health, medicine, and testing. The COVID-19 pandemic heightened awareness, leading many to flock to testing centers. A quick YouTube search for “hemoglobin A1C” reveals a host of opinions from clinicians and other “experts.” Media platforms encourage patients to request specific tests, while grocery stores and pharmacies offer over-the-counter kits and in-store clinic testing options.
In this rapidly evolving landscape, is traditional physician office testing lagging behind?
The Conventional Approach to Testing
Many healthcare professionals recognize the limitations of traditional testing models. Typically, the patient visits the office, a test is ordered, and they are sent to an external lab to provide a sample. Results, arriving hours to days later, are communicated electronically or through a follow-up appointment. This approach introduces multiple points where patients may disengage.
For example, the requirement to visit an off-site laboratory creates opportunities for patients to skip testing altogether, especially for those in underserved communities where travel or time constraints pose barriers. Even when results are returned, follow-up appointments or treatment plans may be delayed—or missed entirely. Such disruptions can have serious consequences, particularly for new diagnoses or chronic conditions.
Bridging the Gap with Point-of-Care Testing (POCT)
Numerous studies have demonstrated that adopting point-of-care testing (POCT) can significantly enhance patient satisfaction and care delivery. With POCT, results are available during the office visit, enabling physicians to address treatment, counsel patients, or order additional tests immediately. This approach not only ensures adherence but also boosts practice efficiency.
Real-time results foster immediate conversations, allowing healthcare providers to educate patients, build trust, and strengthen long-term care relationships. Moreover, reducing the need for follow-up visits frees up staff time and creates opportunities for other high-value appointments.
Economic Considerations
Despite its benefits, POCT’s financial viability often comes under scrutiny. A 2021 review of 44 publications examining the economic impact of POCT found that more than 75% recommended its implementation, albeit sometimes under specific conditions. The economic value varied by use case:
- Screening: While less frequently studied, most reviews deemed POCT cost-effective.
- Diagnosis: Nearly 60% of evaluations supported POCT for diagnostic purposes.
- Monitoring: Although less widely studied, most reviews found POCT effective, with only one study reporting higher costs and lower efficacy.
Key economic benefits cited include earlier diagnoses, reduced hospitalizations and specialist referrals, lower infection risks, and decreased need for additional testing. In some cases, these benefits increased over time, underscoring POCT’s long-term value.
Challenges to POCT Adoption
Despite the evidence, POCT adoption in physician practices remains slow. Possible reasons include:
- Cost variability: The economic advantage depends on the disease being targeted, with diabetes, infectious diseases, and hemoglobin testing showing the most benefit.
- Operational disruptions: Practices may hesitate due to the perceived effort required to implement POCT.
- Labor considerations: Staffing for QA, specimen collection, and IT may require reallocations or additional training.
- Workflow concerns: However, many POCT systems now offer automation to streamline processes.
While comprehensive surveys on POCT hesitancy are limited, one thing is clear: Non-traditional healthcare settings are heavily investing in accessible testing. As patients become accustomed to these options, the shift may influence where and how care is delivered.
Interested in enhancing patient satisfaction and efficiency in your practice? HemoCue can help you implement POCT solutions that are both effective and economical.
Sources
- Lingerfelder, Deon, et al. “Health Economic Evidence of Point-of-Care Testing: A Systemic Review.” PharmacoEconomics, vol. 5, pp. 157-173, 6 Jan. 2021, https://doi.org/10.1007/s41669-020-00248-1.
- “Access to Health Services.” Healthypeople.gov, 2020, https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/Access-to-Health-Services.
- Diamant, Allison L, et al. “Delays and Unmet Need for Health Care Among Adult Primary Care Patients in a Restructured Urban Public Health System.” Am J Public Health, vol. 94, no. 5, 2004 May, pp. 783–789, doi: 10.2105/ajph.94.5.783.
- Al Hayek, Ayman A, et al. “Assessment of Patient Satisfaction with On-Site Point-of-Care Hemoglobin A1c Testing: An Observational Study.” Diabetes Ther. 20 Jul. 2021, https://doi.org/10.1007/s13300-021-01126-7.
- Hardy, Victoria, et al. “Which Point-of-Care Tests Would Be Most Beneficial to Add to Clinical Practice? Findings From a Survey of 3 Family Medicine Clinics in the United States.” Point of Care, vol. 16, 2017, pp. 168–172.
