Point of Care Testing

All laboratory testing, whether performed within the central laboratory, or at the point of care, must abide by Federal regulations as proposed by Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA). All testing sites must operate under one of three CLIA Certificates (Waived PPMP, or moderately complex) depending on the level of testing performed. Most Point of Care Testing within the UTMB Health System will fall under either a waived or PPMP certificate.

The Point of Care Testing (POCT) program at UTMB was developed by a multidisciplinary CPI team comprised of physicians, nursing, outpatient clinic, and Pathology personnel. The process as designed by the team requires that any new testing, provided a CLIA Certificate is already existent and current, be initiated by the Medical Director and Practice (Area) Manager by filling out and submitting POCT Forms BST 09I and BST 09CA Information on these forms that is especially critical includes approximate cost involved, justification for POCT over routine central laboratory testing, and how the POC test will enhance patient outcome. Forms are then forwarded to the Director of Point of Care. After all information is submitted, it is reviewed and a decision is relayed to the requestor(s).

For further information on compliance and quality control related issues refer to Hospital Policy 9.13.4 Governance of Point of Care Testing.

Employee Training and Competency

Once a request is granted, employee validation process is implemented prior to beginning performance of the approved POC test. Employees must:

complete training on test
read the SOP
pass the appropriate online test (competency assessment)
successfully perform testing on unknown samples (competency assessment).

For questions about Employee Training and Validation e-mail our Director of Point of Care

The Laboratory Advisory Committee (LAC)

The POCT program reports to LAC with compliance and/or QA/QC related issues.

The committee, appointed by Clinical Affairs Administration, has authority to regulate all laboratory testing within the UTMB Health System, and to review and respond to laboratory related issues affecting patient care. The committee:

Reviews all requests
Provides input for Standard Operating Procedures when necessary
Resolves issues of non-compliance as defined for maintenance, quality control, proficiency testing, training, competency assessment, and result reporting.
Discusses and reports quality issues to the Quality of Care Committee.
Assesses new technology that affects multiple sites."

This site published by Pathology Clinical Services for UTMB Point of Care Testing
Telephone: (409) 747-2497 Fax: (409) 772-9231