Patient outcomes
Research associates testing of cardiac markers at the point of care with a decreased length of stay in the emergency department or hospital, and significant reductions in test turnaround time
This selection of articles provides interesting reading on the improved outcomes seen as a result of using POCT in the emergency department:
| Studies |
Year |
Outcomes |
| Goodacre et al (on behalf of the RATPAC Research Team) |
2010 |
A randomised controlled trial of point-of-care cardiac markers in the emergency department showed an increase in successful discharge home and a reduction in median length of stay. |
| Loten |
2010 |
Despite underutilisation of POC, LOS was shorter during weeks when it was available. The time savings translate into approximately 48 minutes (95% CI 12 to 84) per average LOS of almost 7 h. |
| Apple |
2006 |
Decreased hospital length of stay of 4 hours. |
| Singer |
2005 |
Decreased emergency department length of stay of 1.9 hours. |
| Lee-Lewandrowski |
2003 |
Decreased emergency department length of stay of 47 minutes.
Increased rate of discharge of patients who had chest pain. |
Loten, et al. Emergency Medicine Journal. 27(3):194-198, March 2010.
Read moreApple FS, et al. Clinica Chimica Acta Volume 370, Issues 1-2, Pages 191-195, August 2006.
Read moreSinger, et al. Annals of Emergency Medicine Volume 45, Issue 6 , Pages 587-591, June 2005.
Read moreLee-Lewandrowski, et al. Arch Pathol Lab Med, 127:456-60, 2003
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