Handbook of Near-Patient Testing

The aim of this book is to provide a practical guide to near-patient testing techniques and also to highlight common pitfalls which may adversely affect the results obtained and the means to avoid them and establish a satisfactory result quality for their patients.

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Near patient testing, or NPT, of various pathology investigations has recently gained the considerable interest of health-care professionals. NPT involves measuring various analytes in samples taken from the patient at the bedside or in the out-patient clinic or GP's surgery. In a few cases, NPT can even be undertaken by the patient themselves. The advantages of NPT are obvious; it is cost effective and has a rapid turn-around of results which allow patient treatment to be instigated or altered promptly in the light of the test findings. The aim of this book is to provide a practical guide to the techniques themselves and also to highlight common pitfalls which may adversely affect the results obtained and the means to avoid them and establish a satisfactory result quality for their patients.