Point-of-care testing (POCT)

Nowadays, many medical laboratory tests can be performed outside the laboratory by less-specialized individuals, often directly at a patient’s bedside. These tests, which produce results in minutes, are known as point-of-care tests (POCTs). Examples of POCTs include the measurement of glucose levels by diabetic patients and home pregnancy tests. Other tests that are less well known to the general public can also be performed with POCT: antigen and antibody testing, drug screens, anticoagulant treatment follow-ups, etc.