Role of Point-of-Care Testing in Reducing Time to Treatment Decision-Making in Urgency Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Shortening emergency department (ED) visit time can reduce ED crowding, morbidity and mortality, and improve patient satisfaction. Point-of-care testing (POCT) has the potential to decrease laboratory turnaround time, possibly leading to shorter time to decision-making and ED length of stay (LOS). We aimed to determine whether the implementation of POCT could reduce time to decision-making and ED LOS.

Methods

We conducted a randomized control trial at the Urgency Room of Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand. Patients triaged as level 3 or 4 were randomized to either the POCT or central laboratory testing (CLT) group. Primary outcomes were time to decision-making and ED LOS, which we compared using Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon test.

Results

We enrolled a total o

SUBMITTER: Chaisirin W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7081845 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature