David Hunter
Global Manager, Randox Quality Control
We are seeing an increasing amount of patient testing being carried out at the bedside, says David Hunter, Global Manager, Randox Quality Control
Clinical diagnostics is constantly evolving with new breakthroughs bringing earlier and more accurate diagnosis. Traditionally, all or the vast majority of diagnostics tests were conducted in the clinical laboratory. We are now seeing an increasing amount of patient testing being carried out at the bedside or the point-of-care (PoC).
The benefits of PoC testing are clear: convenience, ease of use and rapid results clearly enable faster medical diagnosis. However, these benefits are only true if we are certain the results are accurate and reliable. Ensuring this is the primary function of internal quality control (IQC), however IQC in PoC testing can be a tricky one to manage.
In the laboratory we would expect good IQC procedures to be well established. However, for most non-laboratorians conducting PoC testing, IQC is an unknown territory. Laboratory managers are ultimately responsible for managing IQC in the point-of-care setting but many struggle to find effective IQC solutions, which are suitable for multiple locations and operators unfamiliar with IQC.
How do laboratory managers monitor results in remote sites? How can results be monitored from a variety of PoC users and devices? And, how do you ensure this process is both cost-effective and efficient?
Online data management can provide a good solution, helping overcome all of the above issues by facilitating the monitoring of PoC results anywhere as internet access is available, at any time. Every PoC device throughout the clinical setting should be registered on the data management software. Results can be entered in a variety of ways: on PCs, laptops, tablets or smartphones, and once this is done the software will automatically accept or reject the results based on the performance of the control. This offers PoC users a simple and effective way to ensure that their PoC device is in control and that the results produced are reliable.
Results from multiple analysers are stored together in the software making it convenient for lab managers to review results. Just by logging onto the software, the laboratory manager can review and compare results from all PoC devices around the hospital or even across multiple sites. This provides lab managers with a comprehensive overview of test performance across the entire clinical setting, without even having to leave their desk. This gives a long term view of how each device is performing, helping lab managers to identify any maintenance issues or training needs of the operators.
Some of the available online data management platforms offer different levels of user access. This means that PoC device operators will have their own unique log-in ID and can have restricted access to the softwares functionality. For example, users can only enter results, not edit or delete them. This enables lab managers to track individual users, helping them to identify operators who perhaps need more training. Many of the software packages available will calculate internal statistics such as the mean and CV, displaying graphs showing trends in IQC data. In addition, a peer-group functionality gives the laboratory visibility of results produced by other users globally using the same PoC devices.
The cost-effectiveness and efficiency of monitoring POCT devices using online software is perhaps the most important benefit as some software providers offer unlimited multiple instrument registrations free of charge. This means that a laboratory can register all of their PoC devices on one license.
With the right online datamanagement system in place ensuring effective monitoring of internal quality control, both in and out of the laboratory, could get a whole lot easier. Review the marketplace to ensure you find a platform to suit your laboratorys needs.
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