Many tests used to evaluate haemostasis correspond to artificially created environments. These include some of the traditional screening tests, which were established through understanding the coagulation cascade for example, the prothrombin time (PT), the activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) and Fibrinogen estimation. And as such, they have contributed greatly to our current knowledge of the haemostatic process. Unfortunately, these traditional laboratory tests have their limitations. Open to debate for example, is their ability to supply enough information timeously (? laboratory turnaround time) in order to diagnose and treat patients according to their phenotype. Anarchetypical shift in haemostasis measurements using global haemostasis tests that determine the complete process in a more physiological and all-inclusive way are consequently being reevaluated. These tests include: The viscoelastic tests (ROTEM/TEG) improve the treatment of acute haemorrhage, decreasing the transfusion burden, as for example in cardiac surgery and with it a more effective use of blood and blood products, thus lowering overall costs. They also provide rapid, comprehensive and accurate identification of an individual’s haemostasis state, in the laboratory or in the context of near-patient testing as point-of-care instruments. This allows clinicians to drive personalised, clinically and economically sound treatment and monitoring decisions. Thrombin generation measurement; although expensive is elegant. And as well as having an important role in managing haemorrhage it may be sensitive to various factors that contribute to hypercoagulation. The test may also be of value in discriminating between the different phenotypes within the population of severe haemophilia A (HA) patients. It is here to stay. The clot waveform analysis may be less well known (i.e. presently used as a research tool). It shows promise in staging sepsis patients, having a role in the early detection of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and also in the diagnosis and treatment-monitoring of haemophiliac patients. Flow perfusion chambers which while they may be the ‘ultimate’ global assay has a considerable way to go in order to become of use clinically. Although global haemostasis tests have been available for some time, there is a renewed awareness in their potential use for assessing both normal and abnormal haemostasis. Initial data suggests that they can provide more detailed information regarding the overall haemostatic process and its disorders. However, many challenges still remain such as with the analysers themselves. These involve their trademarked technology, their expense and finally their availability. All four methods still need more background standardisation regarding reagents, methodologies and finally interpretation of results. Much more additional information is required involving all the parameters measured and by inference, their subsequent clinical applications. The present review describes these various global haemostasis tests giving some background information, as well as clinical outcomes and lastly some information on their limitations.