PHYSICIAN OFFICE LAB
Who, Why, When While the decision whether to test and counsel patients with results during the visit or batch for lower cost and more convenient workflow is a practice decision, our customers deserve and expect guidance from their suppliers. Point-of-care testing has always been my passion. I know many seasoned distribution account
By Jim Poggi
managers feel the same way. As we consult with customers to describe the benefits to their practice and patients resulting from point-of-care testing, some customers adopt point-of-care testing readily, while others are more reluctant. I’ve spent many years trying to figure out why.
One reason came down to workflow: whether to provide a test result now during the patient visit or to batch tests later using lower cost per test systems. As the technology to perform point-of-care testing evolved to include liquid chemistry profiling systems and immunoassay instruments for thyroids and therapeutic drug 6
June 2020
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testing, the dichotomy of cost versus convenience in point-of-care testing first became apparent. Should the clinician test while the patient was in the office using simpler fixed menu meter-based systems, or do batch testing later in the day on more sophisticated systems with broader menus and lower the cost per test? As I sold
