Glucose meter inaccuracy and the impact on the care of patients

Blood glucose testing utilizing point-of-care (POC) glucose meters has become increasingly common--in hospital settings, in outpatient areas, and in the self-care of patients. It is rightly considered an essential tool for the management of diabetes. But many who rely on these meters are unaware of the pitfalls in their use and do not realize that there are settings where misleading results obtained by POC glucose meters may alter clinical decisions in the care of persons with diabetes and in some cases have caused catastrophic errors in care, even deaths. Their use in critical care settings is of great concern because many of the factors that increase the risk of inaccuracy of the POC glucose meters exist in critical care settings. Unfortunately, many clinicians are still uncritically accepting data from the POC glucose meters, to the potential detriment of the care of the patients. To improve the quality of care of those with diabetes, we need to establish better standards for the evaluation of POC glucose meters, encourage wider use of technologies that have improved the accuracy and precision of the meters, and adopt clear rules, particularly in inpatient settings, as to when to avoid using POC glucose meters and also when to verify their results before accepting the results of the POC glucose measurement. Such strategies are essential if we are to use these meters successfully.