Point-of-Care Testing
Point-of-Care Testing (PoCT) refers to pathology testing that is performed in close proximity to a patient, usually outside of a traditional laboratory, providing rapid results for clinical management of acute illness.
The testing site can include any intensive care unit, emergency department, or community health clinic. Testing is usually performed by the doctor or nurse attending to the patient as they can obtain a sample, perform the analysis, and record the test results. This form of testing provides rapid results that are used in patient management in a wide range of situations. Currently, the majority of POCT is performed in regional and remote areas of Western Australia and provides critical results for clinical decision-making.
Some of the POC testing we currently support includes:
| Biochemistry testing |
Blood gas analysis |
| Haematology testing | White cell count |
| Coagulation testing | INR D-dimer |
Please note: this is not the limit of testing available.
One of the goals of the PathWest POC department is to continue to support the clinical requirements of metropolitan, regional, and remote health care environments. To achieve this, we have a POC submission form for requesting POC equipment, eLearning via MyLearning and instructional documents to facilitate training all POC users.
The POC group can also provide advice on available devices to suit different testing needs and can be contacted to discuss different requirements.
POCT Links
The PathWest POCT Policy provides an overview of POCT in WA Health and thePOCT Submission Form is used to request POCT equipment or change testing being performed. Please email POCT if you require either document.
The POCT eLearning modules can be accessed via each HSP’s MyLearning portal.
Useful Resources