CLSI Publishes POCT15—Point-of-Care Testing for Infectious Disease

Wayne, Pennsylvania, USA—The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute has published POCT15—Point-of-Care Testing for Infectious Disease. POCT15 is intended for use in assessing, implementing, and managing programs for the detection, control and/or management of infectious diseases using point-of-care testing (POCT) methodologies.

The role of rapid point-of-care methodologies for infectious diseases encompasses an enormous spectrum of applications, from routine primary care to nosocomial infections to public health outreach testing to pandemic, disaster, and bio preparedness uses. Widely-accepted guidelines for use of such tests would have a broad impact on practice in multiple areas; in appropriate use and interpretation of infectious disease POCT, in cost-effective practices, and in quality promotion both on the analytic and systems levels, promoting appropriate and high-quality testing practices.

For more information about POCT15, contact Patrick McGinn at pmcginn@clsi.org or +1.484.588.5933.  

CLSI sets the standard for quality in medical laboratory testing. A not-for-profit membership organization, CLSI brings together the global laboratory community for the advancement of a common cause: to foster excellence in laboratory medicine. For over 50 years, our members, volunteers, and customers have made CLSI a respected, transformative leader in the development and implementation of medical laboratory testing standards. Through our unified efforts, we will continue to set and uphold the standards that drive quality test results, enhance patient care delivery, and improve health care around the world.  

By using CLSI standards, laboratorians can improve process quality, speed the development of standard operating procedures, and implement safer practices with greater ease and efficiency.