1887
Volume 2020 Number 3
  • ISSN: 1999-7086
  • EISSN: 1999-7094

Abstract

Point-of-care testing (POCT) facilitates rapid decisions by performing tests near or at the patient side. POCT integration accelerates clinical decisions and enhances patients’ standard of care in emergency settings. POCT positively influences patient care especially during life-threatening situations or in the operating rooms and critical care areas as it enables the rapid provision of information related to blood gases and electrolytes. Such a process reduces Therapeutic Turnaround Time (TTAT) and pre-analytic and post-analytic testing errors 1. POCT has been implemented across Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) Emergency Departments and Critical Care Units in line with applicable hospital regulations and accreditation requirements. The aim of this project was to standardize blood gas analyzer methods and processes over all HMC facilities. The POCT team worked according to the College of American Pathologists (CAP) standards and regulations and selected the most advanced technologies available on the market for integration of the equipment on the HMC network while enabling for remote-access. This has been achieved by ensuring full connectivity integration to the hospitals Laboratory Information System (LIS). Training programs have been conducted to ensure that only competent and certified staff are authorized to perform patient testing in the Emergency Departments and Critical Care Units 2. A total of 80 blood gas analyzers have been installed including 47 analyzers in Emergency Departments and Critical Care Units. During the period from August 2018 up to August 2019, 179,659 tests were performed by 3123 different operators including nurses, respiratory therapists, and perfusionists. The POCT system detects, troubleshoots, and minimizes errors by continuous monitoring of Quality Key Indicators (QKI). Successful implementation of POCT for blood gas analysis enabled rapid, accurate, and cost-effective patient testing. Furthermore, POCT of blood gases in emergency areas has reduced process complexity and improved operational workflow and led to an enhanced lean process.1 Effective communication through electronic documentation, quality assessment, and ongoing monitoring by the POCT team in parallel with healthcare providers who are performing bedside POCT will achieve compliance with international standards for emergency and critical care areas.

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2021-01-20
2024-03-29
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References

  1. Kost GJ, Curtis CM. Global Point of Care: Strategies for Disasters, Emergencies, and Public Resilience. Washington, DC: AACC Press; 2015 .
  2. Tran NK, Godwin Z, Bockhold J. Point-of-Care Testing at the Disaster–Emergency–Critical Care Interface. Point Care. 2012;11(4):180–3 .
http://instance.metastore.ingenta.com/content/journals/10.5339/jemtac.2020.qhc.6
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  • Article Type: Conference Abstract
Keyword(s): blood gas analysispoint of care testing and therapeutic turnaround time
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