Point of Care Committee/Council

We are in the process of forming a POC Steering Committee right now.  We have representation from nursing administration, surgery, pediatrics, emergency, system laboratory, our Delivery network lab admin and lab medical directors.  So far we are meeting quarterly because we do not yet have our objectives and goals worked out.

My predecessor advocated for this unsuccessfully, and I believe it would be best for everyone involved.
We have some new leadership in place now- perhaps we can begin the process at my facility as well.

Erika,
 Yes, we frequently get requests to bring in new testing systems.  What we do:
 We have a monthly lab VAT team meeting (Value Analysis Team), nursing has their own VAT teams as well.
 These teams research the requested test system and then each member of the VAT team votes on it.
 Specifically for POC and the lab VAT team we look at:
·        cost analysis vs benefit

·        test analysis: vendor demo, specificity, accuracy, proposed usage of test, workflow worked out with nursing, FDA approval, test locations, risk analysis, staffing to support, regulatory compliance, interfacability.

If approved by the lab, it goes to the nursing VAT team for review and approval.  Nursing reviews the data found by the lab team, demo with their staff, obtains team feedback and votes.

If approved by nursing VAT, it goes into the annual Capital budget request.

Hi Erika, we no longer have what you are describing. I am more than happy to explain why we do not but not in this forum (email me privately, you know where I live! Haha).

Erika when we started the POC Program through the clinical lab/clinical chemistry many years ago, the following group of key players were included by the  ‘POC Director’ and I (as must haves) and the goal was to invite those who could make decisions on the spot (had the power) so there was not a long delay while everyone at the table “went back and asked their boss” if it was OK.

Materials Management/Supply chain, Nursing leadership at a level of making a decision but included a variety of nursing leadership to account for the various different departments/service lines and networks at the time (which we still have), medical directors who would need to be on CLIAs, dept medical directors over services, pharmacy but that was only to start until we sorted out some things, environmental health and safety/infection control, lab staff who acted as ‘the coordinators’, the POC Director of course as well as the medical director of the clinical lab (we only had one clin lab that far back) but the POC Program was ‘run’ out of the lab so we needed him there.

That’s what I remember without digging out the archived/falling apart from age paperwork!
Good Luck, as always.

Forming a POCT Steering Committee is vital to the overall management of POCT testing. All departments of the hospital should have representations in the process like brainstorming, setting up guidelines and protocols on different POCT tests, implementation of the test etc.. In this way, POCT  can maximize its goals and achieve its mandate.

Hi, in our institution we have a POC Steering Committee that meets monthly. All requests for new tests/instruments or new location have a meeting of expectations explaining the requirements. If they decide to move forward, they email the CMO (Chief Medical Officer) for approval, justifying their request. They also have to fill out a new test form, with their management signatures, that goes to the POC Steering Committee. Once all signed and approved, then we plan the validation accordingly. 

When POC testing is requested for a new location or an existing location, we have them fill out a form for our Lab Medical Director.  We take a look at the request for various items- cost, training and maitaining compliance, CLIA complexity and all that goes along with that especially if moderate, and then benefit to the patient.  We require them to send us clinical reasoning for the request, anticipated volume and what coworkers they are going to request to be trained (RNs, MAs, etc).  Our medical director will approve or not approve the change and will usually notify them of the non approved decision and why if it goes that way.