It is therefore necessary to validate and compare POCT devices against the centralised hospital-based analysers, where patients may be referred to for further management. One test carried out is glycaemic control for diabetics or general screening for diabetes. POST involves spot testing and analysis to people in public places such as shopping malls and airports and gymnasiums. 3 Pointof-service testing (POST), another form of POCT, has emerged due to health awareness and availability of testing devices. However, the efficacy of POCT requires cooperative efforts of clinicians and laboratory scientists. 2 POCT is useful because of the need to make a quick diagnosis and management to shorten hospitalisation or reduction in hospital trips by patients. 1 In retrospect, visual examination of urine (uroscopy) was used as POCT by Hippocrates (400 BC) for disease prognosis, and later by Theophilus (700 AD) as a diagnostic tool. Point of care testing (POCT) refers to testing performed outside the central laboratory using a device (s) that can be easily transported to the vicinity of the patient.
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