Challenges POC Coordinators Face Compared to “Swimming in the Ocean”– Upcoming Webinar on How Orchard® Trellis™ Can Help

​A recent CAP Today interview by Bob McGonnagle highlights the challenges inherent to glucose point- of- care testing (POCT). McGonnagle refers to the difficulties that POC coordinators face in managing the complexities of POCT as similar to the difficulty level of “swimming in the ocean.” Orchard® Trellis™, our POCT management and integration solution was designed specifically to help with those challenges. And, in April, Orchard is hosting a webinar that will include a live demonstration of how Trellis can support the role of POC coordinators.

POCT Infection Control as a Concern
In the CAP Today interview, several POCT experts were asked about their top concerns regarding POC glucose testing in today’s healthcare environment. One of the top concerns is infectious disease transmission. In the interview, Dr. Gleason points out that a recent CDC report noted a startling 10,000 at-risk patients for Hepatitis B and C associated with POC glucose testing.
 
Complexity Level of POCT Oversight
In addition to infection control, ensuring safe and quality POCT involves a tangle of significant hurdles. McGonnagle refers to POCT management as a “heroic challenge in having to deal with so many hundreds or thousands of people who are engaged in bedside glucose testing to guarantee quality control.”
 
Interviewee, Dr. Fantz agrees and comments that: “The demands on the POC coordinator today are overwhelming. People in those positions are struggling to get to all of the sites they oversee on a monthly basis to do the auditing.” Dr. Fantz goes on to recommend data analytics and software solutions that help alleviate travel and allow remote oversight of POCT programs. She remarks that “digital diagnostics and relying on software solutions” will continue to gain traction in POCT. 

Leadership & Relationships Play a Part
Interviewee, Dr. Bowman makes a great point that another significant challenge is in aligning laboratory requirements with clinical workflows. “There’s no substitute for strong leadership, commitment, and partnership. To me, point of care is a lot about developing good relationships.”

How Orchard Trellis Can Help
One of the greatest hurdles to overcome in POCT management is that testing is spread across multiple siloed locations. The variance in locations, operators, devices, and device capabilities makes POCT management complex. Orchard is offering a 45-minute webinar to show attendees how Orchard Trellis can help address these challenges.

Join Us for Orchard's Upcoming Webinar, People, Places, Devices, & Dollars

​​Registration will soon be open for Orchard Trellis: Manage POCT—People, Places, Devices, & Dollars, a webinar discussing POCT challenges followed with a live demonstration of Orchard® Trellis™. 
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Register Now

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Orchard is committed to keeping you informed and being a trusted resource you can turn to for industry-related education. As always, we welcome your feedback. Follow us on Twitter at @OrchardSoftware, and feel free to respond to this post by emailing us at news@orchardsoft.com.
 
Notes

1. POC testing roundtable: risks, resources, relationships. CAP Today. March 2019. https://captodayonline.com/poc-testing-roundtable-risks-resources-relationships/