Existing and Emerging Technologies for Point-of-Care Testing

Area of Science:

• Clinical Diagnostics
• Biotechnology
• Medical Device Technology

Background:

• Point-of-care testing (PoCT) has seen significant growth over the past 40 years.
• Healthcare delivery trends aim for cost-effective care closer to patients, driving PoCT expansion.
• Developing nations face challenges in infectious disease management, where PoCT can play a crucial role.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current state and future trends of point-of-care testing technologies.
• To categorize existing PoCT devices and discuss emerging innovations.
• To highlight the potential impact of PoCT on global healthcare, particularly for infectious diseases.

Main Methods:

• Categorization of PoCT devices into handheld and bench-top systems.
• Discussion of dominant technologies, including glucose biosensors, lateral flow assays, and critical care analyzers.
• Exploration of emerging molecular techniques like PCR for point-of-care infectious disease diagnostics.

Main Results:

• PoCT devices have evolved with incremental improvements in analytical performance and usability.
• Existing technologies, though refined, are often based on designs over two decades old.
• New molecular-based PoCT devices are emerging, with significant commercial potential expected.

Conclusions:

• PoCT is a rapidly expanding field with continued growth projected.
• Technological advancements, especially in molecular diagnostics, are poised to enhance PoCT capabilities.
• PoCT holds promise for improving healthcare accessibility and effectiveness, particularly in resource-limited settings.