Challenges during implementation of point-of-care testing in a multispecialty children's hospital

Point-of-care testing (POCT) has been one of the fastest-growing areas of critical care management. It continues to increase in volume and complexity over the past few years and is now moving to the molecular level. POCT is currently defined as a testing process done near or at the site of patient care by non-laboratory clinical staff. Since these tests are done by clinical staff with minimum technical knowledge, many challenges arise due to a lack of understanding of the process of POCT. The key challenges faced during the successful step-by-step implementation and execution of POCT at our multi-specialty hospital for children in the Middle East included POCT instrumentation, training and competency, quality control issues, proper handling of reagents and consumables, importance of critical call notification, patient identification errors, data management, etc. Many clinical decisions are made based on the results of POCT, hence care should be taken during every step of the POCT process. If implemented appropriately, POCT can have a positive impact on operational efficiency and patient care. Healthcare organizations should innovate rapidly to meet the challenges of POCT.