The underlying technology and the range of test parameters available are evolving rapidly. The
primary advantage of POCT is the convenience of performing the test close to the patient and
the speed at which test results can be obtained compared to sending a sample to a laboratory
and waiting for results to be returned. Thus a series of clinical applications are possible
that can shorten the time for clinical decision-making about additional testing or therapy as
delays are no longer caused by preparation of clinical samples transport and central
laboratory analysis. Tests in a POC format can now be found for many medical disciplines
including endocrinology diabetes cardiology nephrology critical care fertility hematology
coagulation infectious disease and microbiology and general health screening. Point-of-care
testing (POCT) enables health care personnel to perform clinical laboratory testing near the
patient. The idea of conventional and POCT laboratory services presiding within a hospital
seems contradictory yet they are in fact complementary: together POCT and central
laboratory are important for the optimal functioning of diagnostic processes. They complement
each other provided that a dedicated POCT coordination integrates the quality assurance of
POCT into the overall quality management system of the central laboratory. The motivation of
the third edition of the POCT book from Luppa Junker which is now also available in English
is to explore and describe clinically relevant analytical techniques organizational concepts
for application and future perspectives of POCT. From descriptions of the opportunities that
POCT can provide to the limitations that clinician's must be cautioned about this book
provides an overview of the many aspects that challenge those who choose to implement POCT.
Technologies clinical applications networking issues and quality regulations are described as
well as a survey of future technologies that are on the future horizon. The editors have spent
considerable efforts to update the book in general and to highlight the latest developments
e.g. novel POCT applications of nucleic acid testing for the rapid identification of
infectious agents. Of particular note is also that a cross-country comparison of POCT quality
rules is being described by a team of international experts in this field.
