The promise of point-of-care testing: Hy-Vee's Kingston shows how it works

Abstract

A the counter at Hy-Vee Pharmacy in Omaha, NE, “Tom” complained of a sore throat. Describing his symptoms, he asked Alison Kingston, PharmD, whether he should try an OTC remedy or schedule a visit with his primary care provider. But pharmacists at Hy-Vee Inc. now have a new tool in their toolkit. In less than 15 minutes, Kingston could administer a strep test right there at the pharmacy. Depending on the results, Tom could walk away with a prescription for strep or an OTC product.