Patient safety in point-of-care testing

In the authors' view, the following four points compose the current state of the question of patient safety in point-of-care testing: The collision of definitions used in this article with actual practice in point-of-care testing is evidence for the likelihood of error in this genre of clinical tests. Uncovering of latent conditions conducive to error is the objective for investigations of this likelihood. A modified Kost classification serves as a basis for determining where latent conditions appear in the point-of-care testing process and as a framework in which to recognize these errors in an error classification process. Errors in point-of-care testing are likely to arise most frequently in the steps of patient identification, specimen collection, and result reporting. In the absence of an adequate evidence base, the authors recommend as measures to build a culture of patient safety in point-of-care testing the components of the standard model of safe laboratory testing. This model inculcates the laboratory ethos of test operator competence, procedure adherence, quality control, and result integrity. These objectives can be achieved by integrating operator training, program supervision, competence assessment, and proficiency demonstration into an institution's or practice's point-of-care testing program. Based on the authors' hypothesis that medical errors in point-of-care testing, which lead to preventable adverse events most often arise in three testing processes--patient identification, specimen collation, and result reporting--they recommend ongoing monitors of these critical steps. If they are wrong, such monitoring will disprove their hypothesis; if they are right, it will measurably reduce medical error in point-of-care testing.