[Point-of-care testing in family practices: present use and need for tests in the future]

To provide insight into the current use, future needs, and attitudes towards point-of-care testing among Dutch family practitioners.

Cross-sectional online survey.

We performed a survey among 2129 Dutch family practitioners. We asked respondents to report on the current and desired use of point-of-care tests, frequency of use, their opinions on aspects of point-of-care tests and consequences of point-of-care tests on their practice, acceptable waiting times for test results to come in, the desire for point-of-care tests at out-of-hours services, and conditions for which a point-of-care test could assist in diagnosis.

639 family practitioners completed the survey (response rate: 30%). The most common point-of-care tests currently used by family physicians were: blood glucose (96%), urine leucocytes or nitrite (96%), urine pregnancy (94%), haemoglobin (58%), and CRP (48%). The most commonly desired point-of-care tests were: D-dimer (70%), troponin (65%), BNP (62%), chlamydia (60%), and INR (54%). Family practitioners expected point-of-care tests to have a positive effect on patient satisfaction (93%), diagnostic certainty (89%), antibiotics use (84%), and substitution to primary care (78%). They considered the proven effect on clinical management (46%) and the tests' reliability (35%) to be important aspects of point-of-care tests. Respondents wanted point-of-care tests to help them diagnose acute conditions, such as acute thromboembolic disorders (D-dimers), cardiac disorders (troponin, BNP), and infections (CRP, chlamydia).

The current use of point-of-care testing in family practice is restricted to a limited number of tests. In the future, Dutch family practitioners wish to use more point-of-care tests, especially in acute conditions in which a diagnostic decision needs to be made immediately.