Our Community Point-of-Care Testing Programs

Over the past 10 years, our unit has initiated, developed and managed a series of community-based POCT programs for chronic disease. The timeframe, chronic disease focus, POC tests conducted,POCT devices used and health care settings in which these POCT models have been undertaken are summarised in the table below.

Further information about each program, together with relevant published papers, can be found by clicking on the model name or the left-hand menu.

 

Model

 

Timeframe

 

Disease

 

Focus

 

POC Tests*

 

POCT Device

 

Health Setting

Quality Assurance for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Medical Services (QAAMS) 1999-present Diabetes Management HbA1c and UACR DCA 2000/Vantage Indigenous
POCT in the Northern Territory 2008-present Acute and Chronic Disease Management Electrolytes, urea & creatinine,
blood gases,
INR,
HbA1c, UACR
i-STAT
DCA 2000
Indigenous
POCT in the Ngaanyatjarra Lands 2008-present Acute and Chronic Disease Management Electrolytes, urea & creatinine,
blood gases,
INR,
Haemoglobin,
HbA1c,
UACR
i-STAT
HemoCue
DCA 2000
Indigenous
Ngati Porou Hauora Warfarin Management Program 2008-present Coagulation Management INR CoaguChek XS Indigenous (Maori)
Kidney Evaluation for You (KEY) Project 2007-2008 Renal Prevention Creatinine,
Glucose,
HbA1c,
UACR,
Cholesterol,
Haemoglobin
i-STAT
DCA 2000
Cholestech LDX
HemoCue
Non-indigenous
POCT in General Practice Trial 2005-2007 Diabetes, Renal, Cardiovascular and Coagulation Management HbA1c, UACR, lipids and INR DCA 2000
Cholestech LDX
CoaguChek S
Non-Indigenous
Diabetes Management Along the Mallee Track 2002-present Diabetes Prevention & Management HbA1c, UACR and lipids DCA 2000
Cholestech LDX
Non-Indigenous
POCT in Aboriginal Hands 2001-2005 Chronic disease Prevention & Management HbA1c, UACR and lipids DCA 2000
Cholestech LDX
Indigenous
Umoona Kidney Project 1997-2000 Renal Prevention & Management UACR DCA 2000 Indigenous

* HbA1c = haemoglobin A1c, UACR = urine albumin:creatinine ratio, INR = international normalised ratio

Heather Halls (centre) conducting QAAMS training in Brisbane, 2006

Heather Halls (centre) conducting QAAMS training in Brisbane, 2006

Anne Shephard (left) conducting training for the POCT in General Practice Trial, Adelaide, SA, 2005.

Anne Shephard (left) conducting training for the POCT in General Practice Trial, Adelaide, SA, 2005.