Point-of-Care Testing in Rural and Remote Australia: An Emerging Technology to Address Global Health Challenges, Crises and Security

Abstract

Point-of-care (POC) testing enables rapid pathology results to be utilised in primary care settings for timely clinical decision-making and treatment during a patient consultation and can contribute to public health surveillance and responses. Large-scale POC testing networks (supporting 100 or more rural and remote health services) now operate for chronic, acute and infectious diseases across the length and breadth of Australia. Sound operator training, quality management and digital connectivity systems, in addition to strong clinical and cultural governance, underpin these networks, mitigate risks to patient safety, and facilitate scalability. Real-world examples from our Australian-based POC testing networks highlight how contemporary global health problems, such as diabetes, acute medical crises and the COVID-19 pandemic response can be addressed by the judicious application of POC testing in primary care settings. The recent role POC testing played in supporting First Nations communities of Australia during the pandemic serves as a template for and provides learned experiences that can be translated or adapted to other countries should or when future global security issues arise. The potential to use POC testing as an adjunctive diagnostic tool to support and enhance global health security needs to be balanced against the limitations of using this innovative technology.