At the Point of Care
Laboratory tests may also be performed at the actual point of care (POC) – in other words, at the location of the patient rather than in a distant laboratory. Doctors’ offices and clinics are sometimes referred to as point-of-care sites. In hospitals, tests may be performed at the patient’s bedside.

Labs within physician offices and clinics are usually small in size, and medical assistants typically conduct the testing. You are likely to know and interact with the person taking your sample and conducting the tests in this setting. Laboratory tests at these locations are usually limited to uncomplicated tests.

Most physician and clinic labs conduct only a limited amount of testing due to the expense of equipment, supplies, and personnel for the office and the relatively small number of daily samples. However, they are convenient for patients and provide rapid results.

Point-of-care testing done directly at the patient’s bedside has been increasing thanks to technological advances that have brought about portable devices that are easy to use and produce immediate results. Examples include blood glucose tests, blood gas monitoring systems, and whole blood analyzers for cardiac markers and blood clotting tests. Tests included in POC programs must comply with standards just like those performed in central laboratories [see Lab Oversight article]. It is expected that POC testing will increase in frequency as new devices become available, in part because they may reduce delays and provide immediate information to physicians, allowing for more timely medical treatment.