National Reference Laboratory (NRL), a Mubadala Health partner, hosted the 3rd POCT Advances Conference at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, also a Mubadala Health partner. The two-day event brought the world’s leading experts together to discuss point of care testing (POCT), in March 2023. POCT is one of the fastest growing disciplines in laboratory medicine, both in the acute and non-acute care setting. In many cases, is seen as a key component in the future delivery of sustainable healthcare.
The conference attracted over 230 participants from 17 countries, of which 18 presented the latest research and policy case studies around POCT. Championing this convenient form of testing, NRL has worked with several private and public institutions in the UAE to help set up infrastructure to support and implement this technology effectively. Increasingly, countries around the region are also progressing towards a primary care model which depends on POCT to be fully effective.
In simple terms, POCT is diagnostic testing at or near the location of the patient, performed by non-laboratory personnel i.e., nurses, doctors, and allied health professionals. The main advantage is the speed of testing and immediate availability of results. It avoids waiting for laboratory results which typically takes hours or the next day to be analyzed and reported. POCT facilitates rapid decision-making, helping to enhance the patient experience. It also reduces the need for repeat patient visits for follow up discussions and treatment. There is evidence to show that POCT improves patient outcomes whilst reducing costs to healthcare providers.
Decentralizing the testing process
During the conference, Jonathan Harris, Senior Manager, POCT & Quality at National Reference Laboratory, discussed ways in which POCT helps to decentralize the testing process and optimize healthcare delivery. Speaking at the conference, he said, “POCT has the potential to transform the way we look at testing, and how primary care is delivered. POCT is accurate and allows for quick results, which can make it significantly easier for patients to be diagnosed and for physicians to help them seek proper care. We can perform testing on patients who may not visit hospitals for traditional blood draws and centralized laboratory testing. We can identify conditions in these individuals which otherwise may have been overlooked.
“The reason why POCT works so well with the primary care model is that it consolidates resources and allows for primary care physicians to deliver care to patients who might be in remote locations, or those who might not be able to travel long distances for their healthcare needs. POCT allows physicians to carry out tests that can help determine cardiovascular conditions, infectious diseases, and endocrine disorders. This model of testing makes it significantly easier for patients to treat their newly developed or chronic illnesses. If we can address challenges facing adoption and share knowledge around the clinical and cost effectiveness of POCT, the healthcare industry is poised to reap great benefits,” he continued.
Day one of the conference featured talks from speakers including Dr Abdullah Aljurayyan, Head of Immunology, Serology and HLA Section, Pathology and Clinical Laboratory Medicine, King Fahad Medical City, KSA, who spoke about how POCT is currently being implemented across the Kingdom, along with strategies that have proved to be successful. Amna Ibrahim Al Saeedi, Section Head of Health Technology and Innovation Impact Assessment, Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, UAE, also spoke on the first day of the conference on how Abu Dhabi is actively looking at ways to expand the current tests being offered under the diagnostics umbrella.
Diabetes management
Making a case for how POCT can help with diabetes management, Dr Ola Jarad, Associate Staff Physician, Endocrinology, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, UAE, discussed how the use this method improved patient outcomes. For those who had HbA1c, POCT testing done in-clinic had their diabetes better under control than those who had had the traditional lab test.
“It highlights the observable benefits to patients when test results can be discussed in real time rather than over the phone the next day. We can see measurable results, and this is very exciting,” Dr. Jarad added.
One of the final talks for the day was from Dr Annette Thomas, POCT Strategy Group Chair and National POCT Clinical Lead, NHS Wales, U.K. As an expert in POCT, she opened a discussion on how testing can exist outside of a formal laboratory environment and explored what is needed to deliver positive outcomes, based on her work in the U.K.
The second day of the conference delivered further talks on the role of POCT in digital health, and in the home and emergency setting. Dr Heba Kary, Head of Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory and POCT, King Faisal Specialist Hospital, KSA, discussed how POCT can help couples conceive through home ovulation testing. She also discussed how prenatal tests can be delivered to expectant mothers to track fetal health.
The conference ended with remarks from Dr Laila AbdelWareth, Acting Executive Director, National Reference Laboratory and Jonathan Harris. Celebrating the success of the conference in providing a platform for knowledge exchange, participants were able to return with key takeaways to further their practice and strategize ways to provide better care to patients.
NRL is expected to host the fourth edition of the POCT Advances Conference in 2024.
