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Abstract: Background: Management of point-of-care testing (POCT) continues to present challenges. The use of site inspections by POCT coordinators has been a mainstay for maintaining regulatory compliance in POCT although this process is labor intensive. Improvements in device design and the use of POCT data management systems have improved the ability of hospitals to manage POCT programs. Given these developments, using regular site inspections to ensure regulatory compliance of POCT may be less relevant than in the past. Methods: We implemented an expanded POCT site inspection checklist modeled after the requirements of the Joint Commission. The checklist included categories not specifically related to POCT such as the environment of care and safety. Results: The average number of deficiencies per site in 2011 was 2.37 (range 0–10) out of a possible 42. Only 18% of site inspections produced no citations. In contrast in 2010 the average number of deficiencies per site was 3.17 (out of a possible 32) and only 8.7% of sites had no citations. The difference in the number of deficiencies per site was significant (t-test two tailed p=0.04). The most frequently cited deficiencies (24.2%) related to safety followed by maintenance of proper procedures and documentation of competency assessment. Conclusions: Despite improvements in many POCT devices and data management systems, regular site inspections are still required to identify regulatory deficiencies and improve testing quality. The use of an expanded site inspection checklist will identify many areas for improvement that are not specifically related to POCT alone. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background We evaluated the effectiveness of an expanded point-of-care (POCT) site inspection checklist over an extended 8-y period. Methods A retrospective review of site inspection deficiency reports in a large academic medical center from 2010 to 2017 (year to date). Results There was a significant decrease in the number of cited deficiencies per site/inspection from 2010 (3.17) to 2017 (0.27) ( p < 0.001). The percentage of sites without deficiencies steadily increased from 2010 (8.7%) to 2017 (80.7%) ( p < 0.001). The most common citation was documentation of competency assessment followed by results documentation and annual procedure review. Conclusions Regular inspections of sites performing POCT are necessary to maintain regulatory compliance. Over time significant improvements in compliance are achievable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Point-of-care laboratory testing (POCT) offers reduced turnaround time and may facilitate medical decision-making and improve clinical operations. However, there is very little published data concerning the impact of POCT on patient satisfaction. Methods: We implemented POCT for hemoglobin A1c, lipid panel and comprehensive metabolic panel in a primary care practice and monitored patient satisfaction with on-site testing using an anonymous survey. Results: A total of 97 surveys (65% response rate) were reviewed. On a scale of 1 (poor) to 4 (excellent) the mean response to the question “Compared with your past experiences of physician office visits that did not have on-site testing please rank your overall level of satisfaction with today's office visit” was 3.96. In 34 surveys a free text comment was included which was uniformly very positive. Conclusions: Our study strongly indicates a high level of patient satisfaction with on-site POCT in a primary care setting. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]