As point-of-care testing (POCT) continues to expand across healthcare settings, effective program management has become increasingly dependent on connectivity. While POCT offers clinicians faster results, real-time clinical decision making, and improved workflows in decentralized care settings, connectivity enables POCT coordinators and laboratory leaders to manage growing programs efficiently while maintaining quality, compliance, and safety.
Connectivity is not simply a convenience for POCT coordinators and laboratory leaders. It serves a critical role in quality management, regulatory compliance, and more. In the absence of connectivity, POC testing personnel are required to spend a significant amount of time away from clinical care – documenting quality control on paper logs and manually entering patient results in the electronic medical record (EMR). POCT coordinators are forced to rely on manual processes to assess policy compliance, track testing personnel performance, monitor quality control, and troubleshoot issues. Not only are these workflows time-consuming, but they also increase the risk of errors, missing data, and other compliance concerns. For POCT programs that are geographically dispersed, lack of connectivity also limits the ability to manage testing consistently and proactively.
Utilization of connected POCT devices allows for direct transmission of results into the EMR, creating a standardized and enduring record that is readily accessible to members of the care team. This supports documentation requirements and improves continuity of care for all providers involved in a patient’s care.
Quality assurance activities in a POCT program are significantly strengthened with connectivity-enabled devices. Automatic capture of QC data, test results, device errors, and device status provides more comprehensive and efficient oversight. For POCT coordinators responsible for managing a multitude of devices and hundreds or even thousands of discrete testing personnel in many programs, this can make a major difference in daily operations. Connectivity supports identification of trends, earlier recognition of problems that have the potential to impact patient care and fosters quicker response times when corrective action is needed. Without connectivity, quality assurance activities are limited in both scope and impact.
Another key advantage of connectivity is improved testing personnel competency management. Connected platforms can help streamline oversight of operator authorization, revocation of testing privileges, training status, and compliance with ongoing competency requirements. This is especially valuable in programs with multiple testing locations and/or large numbers of testing personnel, and allows POCT coordinators to ensure regulatory compliance and more easily link the steps of a compliant program in a tracer approach to auditing.
Connectivity better supports workload tracking. Reliable tracking of test volumes is important not only for operational planning, but also for justification of staff time, reagent usage, and billing compliance. In many POCT programs, this data can help demonstrate the value of POCT coordinators, a robust program, and support appropriate resource allocation.
Connectivity is particularly important in ambulatory and geographically dispersed POCT programs, where testing is typically occurring far from a central laboratory. In these settings, remote access to results and other program data can significantly improve oversight and program management. Instead of relying on manual logs or frequent site visits to identify and address issues, POCT coordinators are empowered to monitor performance remotely. This not only supports standardization efforts - it also allows for proactive identification of across locations while reducing administrative burden.
Implementing connectivity requires extensive planning and resources. CLSI guidance recognizes that both technical and financial support are needed to achieve effective integration. For many organizations, however, the return on investment is clear: better data integrity, stronger compliance, improved efficiency, and more reliable POCT oversight.
As POCT continues to rapidly expand, connectivity should be viewed as a core part of program design — not an optional add-on. After connectivity is established, addition of new POCT systems within a program should be considered only for connectivity-enabled devices. For POCT coordinators and laboratory leaders, connectivity is paramount in oversight and design of a safe, efficient, and sustainable POCT program.
Mickayla Karikari, MHA, MLS(ASCP)CM, CPP is the laboratory QA manager for Johns Hopkins Community Physicians. She oversees quality initiatives and point-of-care testing programs across ambulatory practice settings and has a professional interest in POCT quality management, regulatory compliance, and connectivity solutions.
