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Compare And Contrast Point Of Care Testing Vs Laboratory Testing

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INTRODUCTION

The world that we live in is growing fast. There is a marked increase in the population nationwide along with increasing number of individuals being ill.
Point of care testing is an outcome of the problems that the world is facing due to overcrowding, very high patient-physician ration and lack in proper laboratory services.

Although point of care testing is being widely used but when compared with the laboratory testing there are lots of questions that arise with regards to the performance of both the methods.
In further discussion we shall compare the two and cover every aspect of each of the method and shall decide as to which is the method that should be put to use.

DISCUSSION

During my literature review I found interesting facts that I …show more content…

These are: o Pre-measurement Uncertainty: this is the change in sample that occurs during transport, storage and sample preparation. For example blood glucose metabolism, increased serum potassium concentration etc.
These changes may alter the result.
Clinical laboratories face these much more as the sample takes time to reach the lab from the patient.
Where as in POCT there are less chances of this uncertainty, as the sample is taken right at the time of test but at times factors like blood clotting may affect the result too. o Measurement uncertainty: this type of uncertainty is caused during the coarse of the process starting from placing the sample in the analyzer till it produces results. These changes include calibration of machine volume of sample and reagents etc.
In laboratories regular maintenance of the analyzers, proper measurement of samples and accuracy in method may avoid these.
POCT is a method used by trained as well as untrained people therefore the best way to avoid these errors is to read the guide of the device properly

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