New testing technologies reshaping decentralized healthcare

• Healthcare systems across the world face challenges as demand for services increase
• Point of Care testing offers efficiencies that are critical to reducing costs for both patients and healthcare systems
• Recent advances in Point of Care testing are enabling access to high-quality, high-precision diagnostics with unprecedented convenience

Healthcare systems are grappling with competing pressures. A rising demand for diagnostic testing, fueled by aging populations and a growing disease burden, is occurring alongside a push for greater access and lower costs, driven by healthcare staffing shortages and the consumerization of healthcare.^1,2 Point of Care testing (POCT) technology, a central component of decentralized healthcare, has the potential to address many of these core issues by simultaneously reducing demands on healthcare systems while enhancing patient experience. In fact, new technologies within the POCT space are already enabling healthcare systems to deliver comprehensive, high-quality care to patients with unparalleled convenience. 

POCT shifts diagnostics from centralized labs to locations closer to the patient, a model of decentralized testing that enables healthcare professionals to receive results more rapidly and make more timely clinical decisions.³ From the patient perspective, tests conducted close to the site of patient care mean more immediate discussions with physicians, potentially fewer doctor visits, and an earlier diagnosis.^1,4 Since earlier diagnosis typically contributes to better patient outcomes and reduces the labor burden on healthcare systems, minimizing the time it takes to communicate a diagnosis to the patient is a win-win for everyone.¹

Although POCT technology has been around since the 1970s, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the value of rapid diagnostic testing to alleviate pressure on healthcare systems on a global scale.⁵ This momentum has continued with support from ongoing technological breakthroughs, such as the miniaturization of electronics and improved instrumentation through artificial intelligence and the so-called Internet of Things (smart devices that connect to the internet).⁶ This has allowed the healthcare market to introduce smaller and more accurate devices that can provide information on a wider range of conditions in a decentralized healthcare setting.^3,6 This translates into tangible improvements in terms of access, quality of care, and cost savings for patients.⁷

Whereas many point of care devices are specific to one or two tests, for example, blood glucose meters or flu and COVID-19, a more recent development in near patient testing is the move towards devices that allow for multiple tests to be carried out on one platform. Utilizing technology such as actively controlled microfluidics, a single instrument approach can radically simplify diagnostics to deliver accessible and scalable decentralized testing.⁶

Such devices have several benefits. They are easy to use with minimal training, requiring only a finger stick or nasal swab to deliver reliable and fast results. They are also portable, which means they can be used flexibly in a variety of healthcare contexts. Finally, they can be connected to existing systems for real-time data sharing and seamless data integration into patient records, giving the entire care team access to results when they need them.^6,8

Linking the system directly to the lab is critical to enhancing data integrity and overall efficiency for near patient testing and care. Such devices offer:⁸

• Compliance with regulations and accreditation standards
• Cost reduction and cost control
• Traceability
• Reduced transcription errors
• Access to data for more informed clinical decision-making

A portable diagnostic device offers a range of tests that enable healthcare providers to enhance the efficiency of patient triage, improving patient experience across various settings, including primary care, urgent care, and community health:⁸

• Primary care: POCT can be used to support triaging of patients with common signs and symptoms, helping with early diagnosis and providing confidence in treatment decisions. A portable device is also ideal for rural or remote clinics with limited access to laboratory services. 
• Specialized outpatient clinics: Immediate results offered by POCT can help guide treatment adjustments in clinics such as anticoagulation, cardiology, or diabetes.   
• Pharmacies: Health screening, monitoring of long-term conditions, and rapid testing for infectious diseases can take place in a pharmacy setting, reducing the burden on larger clinics and hospitals. 
• Community settings: POCT devices can help extend the reach of healthcare in remote and underserved communities, without the need for specialized infrastructure.⁹

By frontloading the system and putting more diagnostics out into the community, it is possible to shift the economic burden for both patients and healthcare systems away from more expensive secondary and emergency care. Indeed, several studies have shown that POCT leads to lower overall costs due to factors like reduced hospitalizations, shorter hospital stays, fewer follow-up visits, and faster time to diagnosis.^10-12

With simple, versatile solutions that can test for a wide range of diseases, POCT has evolved to a point where it can offer a valid route to decentralized care. Providing results within minutes, whether in a primary care clinic, pharmacy, or hospital, patients can receive faster answers and more immediate next steps in their healthcare journey.  

Furthermore, by meeting the patient at the point of need with portable and higher capacity POCT,  the door to diagnostics is opened to a much greater number of patients.⁷ Such technologies are critical for the future of healthcare, and a strategic imperative for healthcare leaders to enhance population health worldwide.