Point-of-care testing, your cardiologist, and affairs of the heart

Abstract

Background: Point-of-care testing (POCT) has applications across medical specialties and holds promise to improve patient care. While cardiovascular medicine has been attractive for POCT applications in recent years, little is known about how cardiovascular health professionals perceive them.

Objective: The objective of our study was to examine differences in perceptions and attitudes towards POCTs between cardiovascular health professionals compared to other healthcare professionals.

Methods: We surveyed healthcare professionals to assess perceptions of POCT usage and their benefits and concerns between October 2019 and March 2020. Questions regarding POCT perceptions were assessed on a 5-point Likert scale.

Results: We received a total of 148 survey responses; of the responders, 52% were male, 59% were physicians, and 50% worked in a hospital setting. We found that cardiology professionals were less likely, compared to other specialties, to view POCTs as improving patient management or reducing errors. These cardiology professionals were not constrained by resources or a lack of investment opportunities to implement these technologies.

Conclusion: This study provides a better understanding of perceptions about POCTs among healthcare specialists. To improve patient outcomes through the adoption and usage of POCTs, greater collaboration is advised among key industry and healthcare stakeholders.

Keywords: Cardiovascular medicine; Healthcare professional; Medical devices; Point-of-care; Technologies.