Point Of Care Testing (POCT)

Point of Care testing (POCT) may be defined as the rapid specific testing of body fluids, used at the patient bedside. POCT is very useful in situations where production of results quickly is of prime clinical importance. Multiple POCT-guides have been developed for various devices and when used correctly may decrease inappropriate transfusion and product wastage, making these tests cost-effective. The use of POCT in coagulation testing in particular has been a huge breakthrough for patients in need of such testing and is to be further discussed throughout this essay.

Anticoagulation medications, also known as blood thinners, are prescribed to avoid unwanted clots, and thus work in the secondary prevention of thromboembolic events such as
For large groups of these patients, testing with the use of a portable coagulometer can save the time consumed in each re-examination visit of an anticoagulation patient. Another advantage of the patient-led use of POCT in this instance is its reductive effect on the workload of outpatient doctors, who would otherwise have to monitor such states of patients themselves. The Coaguchek XS system is designed for such self-monitoring of oral anticoagulation therapy. The rate at which blood clots is measured in units called the International Normalised Ratio (INR). It is very important that the patient stays within their target INR range, as discussed above. If a patient’s INR is too low, the risk of blood clots increases. If their INR is too high, the risk of internal bleeding increases. INR levels are individualised, whereby every patient on anticoagulation therapy has a different INR level. The ideal INR range for the patient is often a result of a clinical judgement made by a doctor, depending on the indication for the prescription of anticoagulants and how each patient reacts to them. In addition, the doctor determines how frequent such testing of blood should be conducted. The importance of the doctor having the knowledge of each patient’s blood-clotting time is in the clinical implication
It is considered cost-effective in terms of INR regulation and safer with regards to complications. Moreover, analysis of selected subpopulations (heart valve implantation , mitral and/or aortic mechanical ,aortic and/or other aneurysm) shows that patient self-testing brings the most significant cost savings, especially for those oral anticoagulation therapy (OAT) patient segments .Test strips can be stored at room temperature. The Coaguchek XS device is a portable, easy to operate, low maintenance analyser, requiring minimum quality control and a very small blood sample volume. Self monitorIng has almost halved the risk of thromboembolic events in certain group patients. The Coaguchek XS System makes measuring blood clotting time easy. The meter displays the result in about a minute and automatically stores the result in memory so that you can easily recall