Analytical quality and effectiveness of point-of-care testing in community pharmacies: A systematic literature review

Point-of-care tests are characterised through the ability of conducting them near the patient's side without the necessity of a laboratory. They can be applied in different healthcare settings to improve patients' access to testing.

To evaluate the effectiveness and analytical quality of point-of-care tests performed in the community pharmacy.

Six electronic databases were systematically searched using a predefined search strategy. Interventional studies that reported on the effectiveness of the point-of-care tests and accuracy studies that investigated their analytical quality were included. The literature search, study selection, and data extraction were performed independently by two researchers.

In total, eleven studies were identified focusing on blood glucose, cholesterol, creatinine, uric acid, liver enzymes, international normalized ratio for anticoagulation therapy, bone mineral density for osteoporosis, forced expiratory volume for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and infection with human immunodeficiency virus. The included studies showed that point-of-care tests that were conducted and analysed in community pharmacies had satisfactory analytical quality and that the interventions applying these tests were effective overall.

Community pharmacies are well suited to deliver a wide range of point-of-care tests. In the future this will allow easier access to various screening and diagnostic tests for patients.