As laboratory testing devices become increasingly smaller and easier to use, lab tests can now be done more frequently at the point of care (the patient's home or bedside).
Clinical Services
Anatomic & Molecular Pathology
- Autopsy Service
- Cytogenetics Laboratory
- Cytopathology Laboratory & Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy Service
- Diagnostic Molecular Pathology
- Surgical Pathology
Laboratory & Molecular Medicine
- Blood Transfusion Service
- Core Laboratory: Chemistry, Hematology, Acute Care
- Diabetes Laboratory
- Histocompatibility Laboratory
- Immunology Laboratory
- Microbiology Laboratory
Point of Care Testing
Health Center Laboratories
Contacts
Point of Care Testing
As laboratory testing devices become increasingly smaller and easier to use, lab tests can now be done more frequently at the point of care (the patient's home or bedside). Familiar Point of Care tests (POCT) are blood glucose kits, pregnancy kits, strep tests, and others. The Pathology POCT Program trains and certifies POCT testing throughout the MGH.
Are you performing POCT tests but not enrolled in the POCT Program?
- Program Description (PDF) 05/01/2011
- POCT Enrollment Form (instructions included) (PDF)
Looking for procedures, competency documents or log sheets?
POCT Program Objectives
1. Identify and assist non-Pathology Service testing sites with maintaining compliance with the federal regulations under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988.
2. Assist those testing sites with meeting and maintaining Joint Commission standards required for hospital accreditation.
3. Maintain a single standard of quality throughout the institution.
POCT Annual Test Volumes
| Whole Blood Glucose | 315,000 |
| Activated Clotting Time | 25,000 |
| Hemoglobin | 7,000 |
| Lactate | 2,000 |
| Blood Gases | 2,000 |
| Cooximetry | 5,000 |
| Urine Dipsticks | 113,248 |
| Fecal Occult Blood | 70,000 |
| pH testing | 600 |
| Urine Pregnancy | 20,000 |
| Rapid Strep | 11,615 |
| Rapid Flu | 500 |
| Sweat Chloride | 250 |
| Provider - Performed Microscopy | 14,746 |
| Gram Stains | 5,000 |
| Skin Nerve Biopsy Staining | 300 |
| Total (approximate) |
592,259 |
Updated 10/12/2011
