Open AccessPoint-of-Care Blood Testing: The Technology Behind the Numbers
Author(s) -
Kara K. Siegrist,
Mark J. Rice
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
anesthesia and analgesia/anesthesia and analgesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1526-7598
pISSN - 0003-2999
DOI - 10.1213/ane.0000000000004149
Subject(s) - medicine , point of care testing , point of care , point (geometry) , intensive care medicine , nursing , pathology , geometry , mathematics
Minutes count in the operating room when it comes to treatment guidance and therapies. On a daily basis, anesthesiologists make hundreds of decisions, some based on laboratory results, when guiding patient therapies. When time is crucial, point-of-care testing is often utilized for expediency. However, point-of-care testing has its limitations. Providers should be aware of the limitations, including the potential for error in results-errors that could lead to improper treatment and possible patient harm. This article outlines the technical aspects and summarizes pitfalls in accuracy for 2 of the most commonly utilized point-of-care testing devices: glucose meters and hemoglobin meters.