ArticleBMC primary care2023
Point-of-care laboratory testing in primary care: utilization, limitations and perspectives of general practitioners in Germany.
Article in BMC primary care, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed, 18 citations in OpenAlex.
- Multi-center investigation on the influence of clinical characteristics and molecular group A streptococci diagnostics on the management of tonsillopharyngitis in pediatric practices in Berlin-BASE study.European journal of pediatrics · 2026Trial
- Validation of point-of-care INR testing against standard laboratory methods in a Malaysian primary healthcare setting.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Perspectives on innovation of the diagnostic process in general practice: Q-methodological study.BMC primary care · 2026Article
- A nested PCR-based point-of-care multiplex test for detection of bacterial pathogens in cerebrospinal fluids.Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2026Article
- How to identify respiratory pathogens in primary health care - a review on the benefits, prospects and pitfalls in using point of care tests.Infection · 2025Review
- Diagnostic equipment and point-of-care tests in Norwegian emergency primary healthcare clinics: a cross-sectional study.Scandinavian journal of primary health care · 2025Article
- GPs' acceptability and feasibility for using point-of-care tests for cancer in primary care: a qualitative interview study.BJGP open · 2025Article
- The Impact of Point-of-Care Testing for Group A Streptococcal Pharyngitis on Antibiotic Prescribing and Patient Health Outcomes in Outpatient Care: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Open forum infectious diseases · 2025Article
- Validation of point-of-care tests used at in-home assessments among older adults in primary care.Scandinavian journal of primary health care · 2025Article
- Point of Care Nucleic Acid Testing for Influenza-Like Illness: A Cost-Consequence Analysis for High-Risk Patients in Primary Care in Germany.Advances in therapy · 2025Article
- Evaluation of utilisation and consequences of CRP point-of-care-testing in primary care practices: qualitative interviews with GPs from Germany.BJGP open · 2025Article
- Article
- Clinical Need for Point-of-Care Testing for Diabetes in Clinical and Laboratory Improvement Amendments-Waived Settings.Clinical diabetes : a publication of the American Diabetes Association · 2025Article
- Utilisation and trends of laboratory testing and point-of-care testing in primary care in Germany: an analysis of claims data.BMJ open · 2024Article
- Point of care testing in Croatia: a survey of the Working group for point of care testing of the Croatian society of medical biochemistry and laboratory medicine.Biochemia medica · 2024Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
- Commented on by
Authors and funding
6 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundDue to their fast turnaround time and user-friendliness, point-of-care tests (POCTs) possess a great potential in primary care. The purpose of the study was to assess general practitioners' (GPs) perspectives on POCT use in German primary care, including utilization, limitations and requirements.
methodsWe conducted a cross-sectional survey study among GPs in Germany (federal states of Thuringia, Bremen and Bavaria (Lower Franconia), study period: 04/22-06/2022).
resultsFrom 2,014 GPs reached, 292 participated in our study (response rate: 14.5%). The median number of POCTs used per GP was 7.0 (IQR: 5.0-8.0). Six POCTs are used by the majority of surveyed GPs (> 50%): urine dipstick tests (99%), glucose (urine [91%] and plasma [69%]), SARS-CoV-2 (80%), urine microalbumin (77%), troponin I/T (74%) and prothrombin time / international normalized ratio (65%). The number of utilized POCTs did not differ between GP practice type (p = 0.307) and population size of GP practice location (p = 0.099). The great majority of participating German GPs (93%) rated POCTs as useful diagnostic tools in the GP practice. GPs ranked immediate decisions on patient management and the increase in diagnostic certainty as the most important reasons for performing POCTs. The most frequently reported limitations of POCT use in the GP practice were economic aspects (high costs and inadequate reimbursement), concerns regarding diagnostic accuracy, and difficulties to integrate POCT-testing into practice routines (e.g. time and personnel expenses).
conclusionAlthough participating German GPs generally perceive POCTs as useful diagnostic tools and numerous POCTs are available, several test-related and contextual factors contribute to the relatively low utilization of POCTs in primary care.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.