The point of care testing in general practice trial

Abstract

Background Point of care testing (PoCT) may be a useful adjunct in the management of chronic conditions in general practice (GP). Pathology test results at the time of the consultation could lead to enhanced clinical management, better health outcomes, greater satisfaction for patients and general practitioners and savings in costs and time. Methods The Point of Care Testing in General Practice Trial was an Australian Government funded multi-centre, cluster randomised controlled trial to determine the safety, clinical effectiveness, cost effectiveness and satisfaction of PoCT in a GP setting. It involved 53 urban, rural and remote practices, 221 GPs, 76 device operators and over 5000 patients. The Trial covered an 18 month period with the intervention consisting of the use of PoCT for seven tests used in the management of patients with diabetes, hyperlipidaemia and patients on anticoagulant therapy. Results The results show PoCT is safe to perform in a GP setting. For most tests, the effectiveness of PoCT is non-inferior (exception of INR and HDL). PoCT is not cost effective except for ACR, but HbA1c and lipids are in the tradeoff area. Stakeholders are more satisfied with PoCT and there were no significant geographical differences. Conclusions The trial provides evidence that PoCT does have a role in the management of chronic disease.