The 3 pillars of point-of-care diagnostics: How sensitivity, speed, and portability are changing medicine

For decades, diagnostic tests have been conducted almost exclusively in a centralized lab. However, the medical landscape is undergoing significant changes. Point-of-care (POC) diagnostics brings testing to the patient’s bedside, redrawing the boundaries of the clinical laboratory setting in real time.

This change goes beyond convenience to transform medicine. It brings the power of the clinical lab where and when people need it most, democratizing health care. On the provider’s side, it enables clinicians to make faster, more informed decisions, improving patient outcomes.

The evolution of point-of-care diagnostics

POC testing is medical testing conducted at or near the site where treatment is being administered, rather than in a central lab. The traditional model is common, but sending samples to a faraway lab can lead to delays.

While bedside testing is not new, it has been the focus of intense research in recent years. One market research company estimates the market will reach $68.5 billion by the decade's end, achieving a 5.8% compound annual growth rate from 2025 to 2030.

The COVID-19 pandemic hastened the development of rapid testing capabilities. Other factors include advances in diagnostic device technology, heightened demand for precision medicine, streamlined regulatory review processes and a shift toward personalized health monitoring.

The role of technological advancements

The advancement of powerful analytical tools is arguably the most crucial factor. Even with heightened demand for near-patient testing, POC applications were only made possible by breakthroughs in device engineering.

Leading manufacturers are making devices smaller, faster and more accurate than ever before. For instance, Ocean Optics has an extensive line of ultra-compact, high-fidelity spectral measurement tools. They are ideal for non invasive, real-time, in situ measurements in small spaces or within original equipment manufacturer devices.

This company has pioneered spectroscopy for decades. In 1992, it released the world’s first miniature spectrometer. In the years since, it has invented and refined new solutions to help the industry realize the full potential of POC testing.

Traditional spectrometers typically rely on mechanical and optical components for spectral separation and detection — large, bulky components that can be difficult to calibrate and limit performance. The spectral detection performance of modern, miniaturized machines is comparable to that of desktop spectrometers, making them superior for POC applications.

The three pillars of POC diagnostics

Sensitivity, speed and portability are the three pillars of point-of-care diagnostics.

Sensitivity

Clinicians and patients will only trust POC testing technology if it has a low false positive rate. Since it impacts guidance and the speed of care, high sensitivity is essential, regardless of whether they conduct blood glucose monitoring, tissue oxygenation analysis or pathogen identification.

There is some wiggle room. Research shows industry professionals are willing to trade 90% sensitivity for 70% if the POC testing instrument has a higher specificity and is significantly cheaper, with sensitivity being the top priority.

Speed

With POC testing, it takes hours or even minutes to see results, not days. In many clinical scenarios, every second counts. Rapid diagnostics are critical for ensuring positive patient outcomes.

Microfluidic chips — also known as lab-on-a-chip devices — are a great example. These miniature plates analyze fluids using a network of tiny channels. Typically, doctors draw multiple vials of blood to run different tests. However, integrating this tool into capillary pumps lets them analyze small volumes in under two minutes, increasing accuracy and reducing test duration.

Portability

Portability is a cornerstone of POC testing. To test lab samples at the patient’s bedside, the diagnostic device must be small. However, it is about more than size — they must be accessible to novices and applicable for on-site clinical diagnoses. Professionals must be able to bring tests to the patient, whether they are in a clinic, an ambulance or a remote location.

They can reduce turnaround times and allow for immediate intervention. Many powerful analytical techniques were once confined to the lab. Now, miniature, modular or handheld versions can fit into portable diagnostic systems, embodying the principle of accessibility.

How these pillars are changing medicine

Modern analytical devices are changing how lab scientists measure samples. For instance, spectral analysis can provide high-fidelity, near-instantaneous results, enabling rapid data acquisition and analysis. This has real-world impacts.

Prescribed drug concentrations and dosage are based on the patient data collected during clinical trials. While they are accurate in a controlled setting, real-world environments are subject to greater variability, as allowed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Moreover, patients may misinterpret the prescribed dose or miss doses entirely.

Quantifying these differences is important. One study demonstrated the first quantitative point-of-care assay using a miniature mass spectrometer to assess drug concentrations in whole blood. The assay turnaround time is less than four minutes, which is much faster than the traditional approach.

The broader implications of POC testing

POC testing supports health equity. Whether someone interacts with a rural hospital, a mobile clinic or a home nurse, their care is fair. This technology makes it easier to serve hard-to-reach populations, such as underserved communities and unhoused individuals.

It also changes how providers think of connectivity and information integration. These miniature, bedside devices must be compatible with electronic health records, patient monitoring solutions and data storage systems. When they are immediately populated in a patient’s chart, professionals do not need to document results separately, thereby mitigating provider burnout.

The smaller and more user-friendly solutions like spectrometers and microfluidics become, the more accessible health care will be. Until now, people conducting at-home tests would ship their kits to a central lab. With POC testing tools, they could get results without setting foot outside.

Using this technology in conjunction with biosensors enables wearable, self-sensing POC systems. Equipment suppliers could even integrate artificial intelligence to enable on-the-go analytics without help from trained personnel. Compared to standard lab equipment, machine learning can shorten analysis and diagnostic times without compromising sensitivity or accuracy.

The future outlook of POC testing

AI, microfluidics and spectroscopy perfectly align with the three pillars of POC diagnostics. As these technologies continue to advance, the role of fast, sensitive and portable analytical methods will only grow, further transforming medicine and patient care.

Take spectral measurements, for instance. Mass spectrometry is a powerful technique for clinical applications with high sensitivity and specificity. Experts expect miniature versions will become increasingly relevant to clinical applications as their analytical performance improves. They are already rapid, convenient and cost-effective.

Changing medicine at this scale will require change management, provider buy-in and peer partnership. Individuals, teams and organizations must prepare to transition from their current approaches to their desired future state.

The role of equipment suppliers will be significant. At Ocean Optics, Applied Spectral Knowledge (ASK) is the foundation of success in product quality and customer satisfaction. Expertise, knowledge sharing and application support are crucial for helping today’s problem-solvers deliver a cleaner, safer, healthier world.

POC testing will direct the future of medicine

The three pillars of POC diagnostics ensure devices are small, fast and accurate enough for clinical applications from therapeutic drug monitoring to cancer screening. Knowledge sharing and peer partnership will be crucial in helping medical device developers configure solutions optimized for the sensitivity and accuracy that clinical assays require.

Professionals can monitor changes more quickly and accurately, enabling them to make more timely and effective treatment decisions. For laboratory scientists, the message is clear — the future of diagnostics is at the patient’s bedside, and the time to get involved is now.