Prioritise a point-of-care test menu against defined primary care clinical use cases and patient volumes.
Healthcare & Pharmaceutical Management
Point-of-Care Diagnostics Implementation in Primary Care Settings
Roll out point-of-care testing in primary care with a defensible device selection process, ISO 22870-aligned quality control, EHR connectivity and an operator competency programme that survives staff turnover.
🗓️Duration5 training days
📚Content4 modules · 8 sessions
🎓On completionAccredited attendance certificate
About the programme
Course Overview
Point-of-care testing promises faster decisions in primary care, but a device that produces a result in minutes is worthless if no one maintains its quality control, trains new operators consistently, or connects its output to the patient record. This course gives primary care managers, nursing leads and laboratory outreach staff a structured method for taking point-of-care testing from pilot to sustained practice. Participants begin by prioritising a test menu against real clinical use cases, such as anticoagulation monitoring or infection triage, and apply procurement criteria that weigh accuracy, ease of use and total cost of ownership. The quality module applies ISO 22870 requirements for point-of-care testing quality and safety, covering operator competency assessment and a realistic internal and external quality control schedule for a device used across multiple sites. Workflow sessions address how to redesign a consultation or triage pathway around a result available in minutes rather than days, and how to configure device connectivity so results land directly and reliably in the electronic health record. The course finishes with governance: defining a point-of-care coordinator role, building a multidisciplinary oversight committee, and designing a training and competency renewal cycle that keeps a rotating primary care workforce compliant.
Expected Learning Outcomes
Apply procurement criteria covering accuracy, usability and total cost of ownership to a device selection decision.
Design a quality control and proficiency testing schedule for point-of-care devices aligned with ISO 22870.
Redesign a consultation or triage pathway to make effective use of a result available within minutes.
Configure point-of-care device connectivity so results are transmitted reliably into the patient record.
Define a point-of-care coordinator role and governance committee structure for a multi-site programme.
Design an operator training and competency renewal cycle suited to a rotating primary care workforce.
Who Should Attend
Primary care practice managers introducing or expanding point-of-care testing services
Nursing leads and healthcare assistants operating point-of-care devices day to day
Laboratory outreach staff supporting point-of-care quality across community sites
Point-of-care coordinators responsible for multi-site governance and compliance
Primary care network directors evaluating point-of-care investment across multiple practices
Clinical informatics staff configuring device connectivity to primary care record systems
Course Modules
Select any module to see its sessions and points.
01Point-of-Care Testing Strategy and Device Selection
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Test Menu Selection and Clinical Use Case Prioritisation
- Prioritise candidate point-of-care tests against clinical scenarios where turnaround time changes management.
- Estimate patient volume and frequency of use to justify investment in a specific test menu item.
- Compare point-of-care testing against central laboratory referral for cost, speed and accuracy trade-offs.
- Engage clinical stakeholders early to confirm a proposed test genuinely changes decision-making at the point of care.
Session 2Device Evaluation and Procurement Criteria
- Score candidate devices against accuracy, precision, ease of use and maintenance burden criteria.
- Calculate total cost of ownership including consumables, calibration and connectivity licensing fees.
- Pilot a shortlisted device in a representative site before committing to a wider rollout.
- Negotiate vendor support terms covering training, technical service and consumable supply continuity.
02Quality Management for Point-of-Care Testing
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1ISO 22870 Quality Requirements and Operator Competency
- Apply ISO 22870 requirements for point-of-care testing quality and competence within a primary care setting.
- Define the laboratory oversight relationship required to support point-of-care testing quality governance.
- Establish documented procedures covering specimen handling, device operation and result interpretation.
- Assess operator competency through direct observation and periodic proficiency checks.
Session 2Quality Control Scheduling and Proficiency Testing for POCT
- Design an internal quality control schedule appropriate to device usage frequency across sites.
- Enrol point-of-care devices in external quality assessment or proficiency testing schemes.
- Investigate and document a quality control failure before releasing results to a patient record.
- Track quality control compliance centrally across a multi-site primary care network.
03Workflow Integration and Connectivity
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Clinical Workflow Redesign Around POCT Result Turnaround
- Map the existing patient pathway to identify where a rapid result changes the clinical decision sequence.
- Redesign consultation timing and staffing to make use of a result available within the same visit.
- Define escalation steps for an abnormal point-of-care result requiring immediate clinical action.
- Address patient flow implications when a point-of-care result adds a short wait within a consultation.
Session 2Device Connectivity and EHR Result Integration
- Configure device middleware to transmit results directly and accurately into the patient record.
- Establish a fallback process for manual result entry when connectivity or the network fails.
- Verify that transmitted results include operator identity, device identifier and quality control status.
- Test end-to-end connectivity across all device and record system combinations before go-live.
04Governance, Training and Sustainability
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1POCT Coordinator Role and Governance Committee Structure
- Define the point-of-care coordinator role's authority over training, quality control and device inventory.
- Establish a governance committee with clinical, laboratory and management representation.
- Set an escalation pathway from coordinator to committee for unresolved quality or compliance issues.
- Document governance decisions and policy updates in a version-controlled point-of-care manual.
Session 2Operator Training, Competency Renewal and Programme Sustainability
- Design an initial training programme covering device operation, quality control and troubleshooting.
- Schedule competency renewal intervals aligned with staff turnover and device usage frequency.
- Build a sustainability plan addressing consumable supply, device replacement and budget renewal.
- Evaluate programme performance annually against clinical outcome and turnaround time targets.
What the participant receives
4 course modules
A structured syllabus
8 training sessions
across 5 days
32 detailed points
Applied, detailed content
Accredited attendance certificate
On completing the programme
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