Working Together Across Borders

UK based Independent Point of Care Testing Services (iPOCT), together with Capio Diagnostik based in Copenhagen,   we have recently completed the installation of a point of care testing system to operate at the Valdemar Private Hospital in Ringstead, Denmark. 

Valdemar Hospital provides in patient and out patient facilities, specialising in orthopaedics and rheumatology and have recently acquired additional premises to expand their in patient capacity.  The addition of a point of care testing service compliments their diagnostic services including a state of the art MRI suite. 

Point of Care Testing (POCT), can provide a more flexible and efficient service, offering improved access for the patient, improved patient flow in the healthcare process, improved report turn around time to allow a ‘one stop shop’ and potential for efficiencies of medical and economic outcomes within the healthcare process.

The aim of the project at Valdemar is to establish a POCT service at the hospital with IT connections to the UK POCT business to allow for remote monitoring and management of the testing undertaken on a POCT basis.  The scope of testing includes: Full Blood Count; Urea & Electrolytes; Creatinine; Glucose; Blood Gases; CRP.

Paula Connor, National Manager for Laboratory Medicine in the UK said “The iPOCT team were very excited to be involved in this project, and although for us the Danish site is the same as any other remote POCT site in the UK, we have now proved that we do have the structures in place to allow the remote management of a POCT workstation, even if its located in another country!. Initially, we thought the biggest challenge would be translating the documents and communicating effectively with the hospital, but the close co-operation between the CD businesses in the UK and Denmark ensured that this was not an issue. The Valdemar hospital is now processing patient’s samples on the POCT analysers, all patient and QC results are reviewed by the iPOCT team in the UK. In my mind this is a fantastic example of ‘working across country borders’’

The installation and delivery of training at Valdemar was undertaken by Cheryl Bannon iPOCT Trainer and Quality Co-ordinator and Richard Anderson iPOCT IT Consultant.