Research and Markets: European Point of Care (POC) Infectious Disease Market - Multiple Benefits Support Widening Adoption of POCT

Mon Jul 6, 2009 5:43am EDT
 
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DUBLIN--(Business Wire)--
Research and Markets
(http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/c25743/european_point_of) has
announced the addition of Frost & Sullivan's new report "European Point of Care
(POC) Infectious Disease Market" to their offering. 

This research service gives a detailed analysis of the European point of care
(POC) infectious disease market from 2008-2015. 

Multiple Benefits Support Widening Adoption of POCT 

Recent discoveries and innovations in the realm of molecular diagnostics hold
the exciting promise of revolutionising the healthcare arena. "In particular,
the evolution of POC testing is expected to have a significant impact on patient
care management," notes the analyst of this research. "Additionally, public
awareness initiatives and governmental campaigns across Europe are facilitating
the uptake of new technologies and highlighting the value of POC molecular
diagnostics in the improvement of medical care, reducing overall healthcare
costs." One of the drivers associated with the growth of POC testing is the need
for clinicians to quickly test results in settings where patient treatment
decisions benefit from immediate diagnostic findings such as hospital emergency
rooms and physician offices. "The market for POC diagnostic tests is growing
rapidly," adds the analyst of this research. "Public health policy makers,
insurers and governments are becoming more aware of the need to test for certain
infectious diseases." Healthcare authorities such as the FDA, Centre for Disease
Control (CDC) and WHO have recognised that certain rapid POC products are not
only easier to use, reliable, sensitive and specific, but that they also can be
more cost-effective than traditional diagnostic tests performed in the central
laboratory. 

Personnel Training Critical to Ensure Optimal Use of POCT 

The primary concern articulated by most of the healthcare practitioners is the
importance of ensuring the accuracy and reliability of POC test machines. In
order to ensure accuracy, quality control is seen as important, including the
training of personnel who routinely use the POC tests. The issue of cost is at
the core of the POC tests and will ultimately dictate decisions regarding the
implementation of the technology. The cost associated with staff performing
extra duties could be a potential barrier; ensuring POC test quality is a
resource-intensive endeavour that involves co-ordinating a variety of devices,
locations and staff. The successful implementation and management of POC
programmes in a hospital depends on the formation of a standing committee. This
committee must be empowered by every level of administration to review all POC
testing requests, to select instrumentation to be evaluated and to coordinate
the oversight of existing and new POC testing programmes, all within the
hospital budget. 

"For POC devices, the principal technology challenges will continue to be in
test chemistry," comments the analyst of the research. "This core science must
facilitate laboratory quality test results while requiring minimal training for
users as well as little or no calibration and maintenance." Today, user training
becomes all the more important in order to meet the standards of laboratory
testing. Hospitals should organise regular training programmes in collaboration
with diagnostic device manufacturers to train staff that use the POC instrument
regularly. At the same time, the successful establishment of a market for a new
test would have marketing demands that are too high and timelines that are too
long. Hence, the ideal option for diagnostic companies would be to partner with
pharmaceutical firms and focus on those tests that have a clear link to specific
therapies, in addition to having an immediate or prospective clinical potential.


Key Topics Covered:

1 Executive Summary 

2 Glossary Of Terms And Exchange Rates 

3 Industry Challenges 

4 European Poc Infectious Disease Market 

5 Market Engineering Strategic Recommendations 

6 Database Of Key Industry Participants 

7 Decision Support Databases 

For more information visit
http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/c25743/european_point_of





Research and Markets
Laura Wood
Senior Manager
press@researchandmarkets.com
Fax from USA: 646-607-1907
Fax from rest of the world: +353-1-481-1716 

Copyright Business Wire 2009

 

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