The double-edged role of point-of-care testing in modern medicine

Point-of-care testing (POCT) has emerged as a transformative force in clinical diagnostics, enabling rapid, near-patient testing that can expedite decision-making, improve patient outcomes, and expand access to care. This review critically examines the double-edged nature of POCT, balancing its clear clinical and operational advantages against persistent challenges of accuracy, quality assurance, governance, and cost-effectiveness. The scope of POCT technologies ranges from simple lateral-flow assays to advanced molecular platforms, increasingly integrated with digital health ecosystems. Their clinical utility is evident in emergency medicine, chronic disease management, and resource-limited settings, where timely results reduce delays, hospital stays, and downstream complications, while supporting personalized and preventive care. The COVID-19 pandemic further highlighted the flexibility and scalability of POCT during public health emergencies. However, these benefits are countered by risks of variable analytical performance, inadequate training of non-laboratory operators, fragmented data integration, and economic trade-offs from high per-test costs and potential overuse. Governance frameworks-anchored in ISO 22870 (and now ISO 15189:2022), rigorous quality management, connectivity solutions, and multidisciplinary oversight-are essential to ensuring safe, effective, and sustainable implementation. Successful programs demonstrate that strong laboratory leadership, continuous training, and robust data integration mitigate risks while maximizing impact. Ultimately, POCT should be viewed not as a replacement but as a complement to central laboratory services, whose value is realized only through thoughtful deployment and governance. With advancing technology and improved oversight, POCT can be harnessed as a powerful adjunct in modern healthcare, turning its double-edged potential into a precise tool for patient-centered diagnostics.