Driven by faster diagnostic benefits, point-of-care testing (POCT) is revolutionizing patient care across the continuum, from intensive care to patients’ homes.

AACC’s 26th International Point-of-Care Conference, September 21 through September 24, in Copenhagen, explores the use of POCT in various patient care settings with a focus on clinical decision-making and improved patient outcomes. The meeting was developed in cooperation with the Danish Society for Clinical Biochemistry, under the auspices of the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine.

Scott Isbell, PhD, DABCC, chair of the conference planning committee, told CLN Stat the committee aimed to create a scientific program to inform attendees about the novel and practical applications of POCT across a variety of care sites. “This is one of my favorite meetings,” he said. “Just the right size to allow for networking with colleagues who share a passion for point-of-care testing.”

This year, he said, attendees will enjoy new approaches to delivering the information, including debates, case reviews, and panel interviews.

Speakers will discuss the utility of POCT in various settings, including:

  • Intensive care: The role of POCT in the management of sepsis, influenza, and meningitis, and look at clinical applications of new nanobiosensors.
  • Primary care: POCT results that are helpful in chronic disease management, and novel applications of ambient mass spectrometry.
  • Emergency department: Troponin, POC D-dimer, and POC lactate tests in patient care management.
  • Pediatrics: A novel approach to neonatal brain oxygenation at the bedside, new technology for pediatric glucose monitoring, and the pros and cons of POCT for clinical decisions in the neonatal population.

So which sessions stand out for Isbell? “They are all so good (in my biased opinion),” he said. “I am particularly excited to hear the presentations on emerging technologies. I am also very interested to learn more about direct-to-consumer testing, an area of POCT that those of us in hospital practice don’t think about too often.”

Overall, Isbell said, “The scientific planning committee has done an excellent job finding speakers from across the globe to share their expertise.”

More information about the program and meeting registration and travel is available online.