ABSTRACT
Background: The application of principles for the implementation, management, and maintenance of point-of-care (POC) testing system service is unclear in tertiary healthcare settings in Nigeria. Hence, the study assessed these principles through the perceptions of healthcare professionals (HCPs).
Methods:The cross-sectional study was conducted among 300 HCPs in the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH), southern Nigeria, using a pre-tested self-administered questionnaire that assessed the major principles for POC system service. The questionnaires assessed the implementation principles (determination of healthcare need, presence of POC Organizing and implementation committee, POC testing policy/ accountability protocols, direct involvement of Health care Professionals (HCPs) and the training and certification of operators), the management principles (establishment of quality assurance and audit policies, establishment of maintenance and inventory control policies, establishment of documentary protocols) and the maintenance principles (accreditation and/or regulation of POC testing systems/devices and the central laboratory’s involvement in effecting all the principles). Categorical data were summarized in frequency and percentages and presented in tables and figures.
Results:Regarding implementation principles, most respondents affirmed not having determined the healthcare need, clinical/operational/ economic benefits, performance requirements, clinical risks, and costs before deployment (63.3%), not having any POC organizing/ implementation coordinating committee (83.3%), no POC testing policy/ accountability protocols (96.7%), and no training/certification of operators for POC systems/devices in the hospital and/or their departments/units (91.7%) (p<0.001). On the management principles, most respondents affirmed negatively to having established quality assurance/ audit policies (83.3%), maintenance/inventory control policies (91.7%), and documentary protocols for POC systems/devices in the hospital and/ or their department/unit (96.7%) (p<0.001). Concerning the maintenance principles, most respondents affirmed to no accreditation/regulation policy (73.3%) and involvement of the central laboratory regarding the POCT systems/devices within the hospital and/or their departments/ units (78.4%) (p<0.001).
Conclusion: The level of application of POC principles is low within UUTH based on current findings. This highlights a critical gap in current operational practices, posing potential risks to the quality of patient diagnostic data. Immediate development/implementation of targeted programs and enhanced compliance protocols to address these deficiencies is recommended.
Keywords: Point-of-Care Testing, Healthcare professionals, POC implementation, Management and maintenance