Point-of-care testing: a cardiologist's view

The rationale for point-of-care testing is that more rapid provision of biochemical test results performed at the patients bedside will equate with better outcomes. For this to be the case, a number of conditions must be satisfied, and in particular the choice of appropriate markers, an adequate turnaround time (TAT), and an accurate measurement. Point-of-care testing of cardiac markers was found to reduce TAT from 72 (central laboratory) to 20 min thus allowing to decrease total hospital stay.