Point-of-care testing in India: missed opportunities to realize the true potential of point-of-care testing programs

• DOI: 10.1186/s12913-015-1223-3
• Publication Date: 2015-12-14T03:30:54Z
• Authors: Nora Engel; Gayatri Ganesh; Mamata Patil; Vijayashree Yellappa; Caroline Vadnais; Nitika Pant Pai; Madhukar Pai
• Keywords: Point-of-Care Testing; Health administration; Point of care

The core objective of any point-of-care (POC) testing program is to ensure that will result in an actionable management decision (e.g. referral, confirmatory test, treatment), within the same clinical encounter POC continuum). This can but does not have involve rapid tests. Most studies on focus one specific test and disease a particular healthcare setting. paper describes actors, technologies practices involved diagnosing major diseases five Indian settings – home, community, clinics, peripheral laboratories hospitals. aim was understand how tests are used fit into health system with what implications for continuum. reports qualitative study including 78 semi-structured interviews 13 group discussions doctors, nurses, patients, lab technicians, officers informal providers, conducted between January June 2013 rural urban Karnataka, South India. Actors, diseases, diagnostic processes were mapped each analyzed regard whether continuums being ensured. Successful hardly occurs settings. In hospitals public most where either single patient advantage realized or rapidity compromised. Lab-based context manpower equipment shortages leads delays. smaller private clinics shorter turn-around-times, unavailable too costly. Here providers find alternative measures home setting, patients who afford not/do feel empowered use those devices. These results show there much delay deters Existing currently translated treatment decisions rapidly available they could turn-around times, thus undermining their full potential. To success programs, developers, decision-makers funders need account such ground realities overcome barriers programs.