BEYOND BLOOD SUGAR

Because POC testing has been shown to alter prehospital care in up to 30% of its uses, it may be logical for prehospital systems to consider implementing a POC testing system. Information gleaned from the i-STAT data can be used to treat electrolyte imbalances, adjust medications and ventilator settings, and even change IV fluid use. MIH providers can also use the data from POC testing to provide important feedback to physicians about enrolled patients. All of these uses support critical clinical decision making by field EMS providers, and will perhaps even help promote the value proposition we're all striving for in our EMS delivery models.