What is POCT (Point-of-Care Testing): Benefits, Examples, and More

Struggling to understand how point-of-care testing works and why it's gaining attention? This article breaks down the definition of point-of-care testing, real-world examples, and how point-of-care diagnostics are transforming patient care with speed and convenience. Let’s go!

What is the Meaning of POCT? How Is It Different from Traditional Lab Testing?

POCT (Point-of-Care Testing), also known as near-patient, bedside, or extra-laboratory testing, is medical diagnostic testing performed right where the patient is receiving care. That could be in a doctor’s office, emergency room, ambulance, pharmacy, or even at home. POCT uses portable instruments and reagents to produce results quickly without the need to send samples to a central lab.

So, it’s often referred to as immediate testing, remote testing, or bedside rapid testing. In essence, point-of-care lab testing brings diagnostics closer to the patient, helping clinicians make faster, more informed decisions.

POCT significantly changes the diagnostic workflow compared to traditional laboratory testing:

• Location: Traditional testing happens in centralized labs. POCT takes place right at the patient’s side, whether in a clinic, ambulance, or home.

• Turnaround Time: POCT offers much shorter turnaround times than central lab testing, often within minutes or a few hours, depending on the technology used.

• Equipment: Instead of large lab analyzers, POCT uses portable or handheld devices. Some are as simple as glucose meters or single-use test strips.

• Who Operates It: While lab tests are done by trained lab professionals, POCT can be performed by nurses, doctors, emergency responders, or even patients.

Why Is Point-of-Care Lab Testing Growing Rapidly?

The global market for point-of-care diagnostic testing is projected to grow substantially. One estimate suggests a growth from $29.5 billion in 2020 to $50.6 billion by 2025, with a compound annual growth rate of 11.4%.

The biggest reason POCT is growing so fast is the need for speed. In emergencies, such as heart attacks, serious infections, or sudden hospital admissions, every second counts. Doctors and nurses need quick answers to make life-saving decisions. POCT provides results within minutes, helping medical teams act right away instead of waiting for lab reports.

Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic made the importance of rapid testing clear to everyone. Suddenly, people around the world were taking tests at drive-through centers, clinics, or even at home. This global experience showed just how essential and accessible fast testing is, not just for individuals but for public health as a whole. As a result, interest and investment in POCT have grown quickly, pushing innovation forward.

Process of Point-of-Care Testing

When it comes to POCT, the exact procedures can vary depending on the device, the manufacturer, and the type of sample being tested. However, some general steps apply across most types of POCT. To get accurate results, it’s essential to properly set up and calibrate the testing device before use. Carefully following the manufacturer's instructions for each specific device is key to ensuring reliable outcomes.

The process usually starts with collecting a sample, such as a drop of blood for a blood sugar test or a urine sample for a pregnancy test. Once the sample is ready, it’s applied to the POCT device. Some tests might require mixing the sample with a special solution first, like COVID-19 swabs being placed in a reagent to better detect the virus. In other cases, the sample can be applied directly to a disposable cartridge designed to prevent contamination.

After running the test, the results are quickly available and, in many modern systems, can be automatically uploaded into the patient's electronic medical record (EMR). This integration helps streamline diagnosis and improves patient care by making information instantly accessible to healthcare teams.

Benefits of Point-of-Care Testing

POCT is changing not only how quickly healthcare is delivered, but its benefits extend far beyond speed. Let’s take a closer look at how point-of-care testing is enhancing healthcare on multiple levels.

Improved Patient Outcomes

Getting faster results also leads to better outcomes for patients. Quick diagnosis means treatment can start sooner, which can reduce hospital stays, prevent complications, and improve recovery. In chronic conditions like diabetes or blood clot disorders, POCT helps fine-tune treatments on the spot, leading to better control and fewer emergencies. It also gives patients a bigger role in managing their health, which often leads to higher satisfaction and healthier habits.

Lower Costs

While POCT may seem more expensive at first glance, it often saves money in the long run. That’s because it reduces unnecessary hospital admissions, shortens hospital stays, and cuts down on follow-up visits. For example, quick POCT results in the emergency room can help doctors decide who really needs to be admitted and who can safely go home. It also reduces the need for extra tests, staff time, and expensive equipment.

Accessibility and Convenience

Because POCT can be done almost anywhere, it brings testing to places where lab access is limited or non-existent, like rural clinics, developing countries, or mobile units during disasters. Independent pharmacies and local clinics can offer POCT, meaning fewer trips to the hospital for patients. This convenience makes healthcare more reachable and less stressful for everyone.

Enhanced Disease Management

POCT is a powerful tool for managing chronic diseases and preventing serious health issues. Take diabetes, for instance, regular home testing helps people keep their blood sugar under control without constant doctor visits. POCT is also useful for catching infections early. If someone has flu symptoms, a quick test can confirm if it’s influenza or something more serious, leading to faster treatment and stopping the spread of the disease.

Versatile Suitability

From emergency rooms to natural disaster zones, POCT fits almost any setting. It’s especially helpful when traditional labs aren't available. In primary care, it helps doctors give results and treatment advice in a single visit. Even mobile stroke units are now equipped with POCT tools to diagnose patients on the way to the hospital.

Precautions When Using Point-of-Care Testing

When using POCT, it's important to take proper precautions to ensure accurate results and protect patient safety.

Ensure Proper Training and Technique

Proper training is essential for anyone performing POCT, especially since it is often carried out by non-laboratory staff or even by patients themselves. To ensure accurate results, it is critical to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and apply the correct technique. Errors in how the sample is collected or the test is conducted can easily lead to false or misleading outcomes.

For non-laboratory medical staff, official certification and training programs, such as those provided by the National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations (NASPA), are available to ensure proper handling. Patients who find written instructions or manuals unclear should not hesitate to request a demonstration from a healthcare provider, such as a video guide, to reduce the risk of misuse.

Also, each test must be used strictly for its intended purpose. For example, glucose meters are designed for monitoring blood sugar, not for diagnosing diabetes. Misuse can result in wrong decisions. Regular quality control checks are also necessary, especially in clinical settings, to make sure the equipment is working correctly.

Understand Test Limitations and Follow-Up Needs

Although POCT provides fast results, it may not be as sensitive or specific as traditional laboratory testing. Some rapid tests, like those for flu or HIV, can miss early infections or certain strains. Also, results from POCT may differ from lab results, so comparisons should be made carefully. In many cases, follow-up lab testing is still needed for confirmation. Patients who use home POCT kits should consult a healthcare provider to interpret results, especially for serious conditions.

Comply with Legal and Administrative Requirements

Pharmacists offering POCTs must follow state-specific regulations, which determine whether they can order, administer, interpret tests, or prescribe medications based on results. Some states require collaborative practice agreements (CPAs), certifications, or written protocols to authorize these services. Before starting, pharmacists should check if a doctor's prescription is needed, whether a CPA is required, and what the reporting obligations are.

Examples of Point-of-Care Testing

Here is a list of point-of-care test examples across different medical and healthcare fields:

• Diabetes: Blood glucose meters are one of the most familiar POCT tools, helping people with diabetes check their blood sugar levels anytime. There's also a rapid Hemoglobin A1c test that gives insight into long-term blood sugar control.

• Heart Conditions: Tests for cardiac markers like troponin can quickly detect heart attacks. This allows doctors to start treatment immediately, which can be life-saving.

• Infectious Diseases: Rapid tests for infections like HIV, flu, and malaria help doctors diagnose and treat patients quickly while also reducing the spread of disease.

• Blood Clotting (Coagulation): Devices that measure blood clotting time (like prothrombin time, PT/ international normalized ratio, INR) are essential for patients taking blood thinners, making sure their medication is working correctly.

• Pregnancy: At-home urine tests detect the pregnancy hormone (human chorionic gonadotropin, hCG) and provide quick answers without needing to visit a lab.

• Urinalysis: Simple urine dipstick tests can check for signs of infections, kidney problems, or diabetes by measuring things like glucose and protein in urine.

• Blood Gases and Electrolytes: Handheld analyzers measure oxygen, carbon dioxide, and minerals like sodium and potassium—especially useful in emergency or ICU settings.

• Hemoglobin: Portable hemoglobin tests help check for anemia, especially in clinics or remote locations where lab testing isn’t available.

Future Development of Point-of-Care Testing

The future of POCT looks promising, with several exciting developments on the horizon that aim to make healthcare faster, smarter, and more accessible.

One major area of growth is infectious disease testing. This is the fastest-expanding field in POCT, with efforts focused on quickly diagnosing illnesses like Lyme disease, bird flu, chikungunya, and drug-resistant bacteria such as MRSA. Fast detection helps doctors treat patients sooner and prevents the spread of infections. There's also a strong focus on improving access in developing countries and rural areas, where POCT can be a game-changer for diagnosing diseases like malaria, HIV, and tuberculosis, especially in places without easy access to labs or hospitals.

On the technology side, advancements are making POCT more accurate and powerful. New molecular techniques like PCR (polymerase chain reaction) are expected to be used in portable tests, allowing high-level lab tests to be done outside traditional labs. Lab-on-a-chip systems are another exciting innovation—these tiny devices can perform all the steps of a lab test using a very small sample, speeding up results and reducing the chance of human error.

As POCT grows, its integration with healthcare systems will be key as well. In the future, POCT results will likely be linked directly to patient electronic health records for better coordination with lab tests and real-time monitoring. Pharmacies are also expected to play a bigger role, with POCT becoming a major source of healthcare services, possibly even more important than vaccinations in terms of revenue. Together, these trends show that POCT is set to become a more central and accessible part of everyday healthcare.

Molsentech - Leading the Point-of-Care Technology

As the demand for faster, more precise, and accessible diagnostics continues to rise, POCT has emerged as a critical solution across healthcare systems worldwide. But to truly meet the evolving needs of modern medicine, POCT must go beyond speed—it must deliver lab-quality accuracy, real-time insights, and adaptability to a wide range of diseases. That’s where next-generation sensing technologies come in.

Molsentech is meeting this challenge head-on with its innovative Bio-FET chips—a new era of point-of-care diagnostics built on the power of FET biosensors, molecular science, and smart integration. By bridging the gap between semiconductor chip engineering and biosensing, Molsentech’s solution takes POCT to the next level: ultra-sensitive, AI-enhanced, and ready for real-world clinical impact.

Whether you're looking to improve early disease detection, enhance diagnostic speed, or bring lab-grade testing closer to the patient, Molsentech’s Bio-FET technology offers the precision and flexibility to get you there. Let’s build the future of diagnostics together—contact us to explore how our platform can power your next breakthrough.