Knowledge interface co-design of a diabetes and metabolic syndrome initiative with and for Aboriginal people living on Ngarrindjeri country.

Objectives: This research program involves two phases to identify enablers and barriers to diabetes care for Aboriginal people on Ngarrindjeri country; and co-design a strength-based metabolic syndrome and Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) remission program with the Ngarrindjeri community.

Study Design: A study protocol on qualitative research.

Methods: The study will recruit Aboriginal people living on Ngarrindjeri country above 18 years of age with a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome or T2D.

A decentralised point-of-care testing model to address inequities in the COVID-19 response.

The COVID-19 pandemic is growing rapidly, with over 37 million cases and more than 1 million deaths reported by mid-October, 2020, with true numbers likely to be much higher in the many countries with low testing rates. Many communities are highly vulnerable to the devastating effects of COVID-19 because of overcrowding in domestic settings, high burden of comorbidities, and scarce access to health care. Access to testing is crucial to globally recommended control strategies, but many communities do not have adequate access to timely laboratory services.

Sustained Quality and Service Delivery in an Expanding Point-of-Care Testing Network in Remote Australian Primary Health Care.

Context.—: Since 2008, the Northern Territory Point-of-Care Testing Program has improved patient access to pathology testing for acute and chronic disease management for remote health services.

Objective.

Impact of point-of-care testing for white blood cell count on triage of patients with infection in the remote Northern Territory of Australia.

In Australia's Northern Territory (NT), acute infections are highly prevalent within Indigenous remote communities and difficulties in diagnosing the aetiology of infection are exacerbated by limited access to diagnostic tests. The objective of this study was to investigate the clinical effectiveness of point-of-care (POC) testing for total and 5-part differential white blood cell (WBC DIFF) counts for the triage of patients with possible acute infection. The HemoCue WBC DIFF POC device was introduced into 13 remote health clinics over a 6 month period.

Economic evaluation of point-of-care testing in the remote primary health care setting of Australia's Northern Territory.

Aim: To determine the cost-effectiveness of utilizing point-of-care testing (POCT) on the Abbott i-STAT device as a support tool to aid decisions regarding the emergency medical retrievals of patients at remote health centers in the Northern Territory (NT) of Australia.

Methods: A decision analytic simulation model-based economic evaluation was conducted using data from patients presenting with three common acute conditions (chest pain, chronic renal failure due to missed dialysis session(s), and acute diarrhea) at six remote NT health centers from July to December 2015. The specific outcomes measured in this study were the number of unnecessary emergency medical retrieval prevented through POCT.

Point-of-care testing facilitates screening and treatment for anaemia in women and children in rural Pakistan.

Objective: To use point-of-care testing to screen and facilitate treatment for anaemia and to establish an estimate of the prevalence of anaemia in the local population.

Design: An uncontrolled before and after study design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention on the anaemia status of participants.

Setting: This study took place in a rural mountain community (population approximately 1000) in the Haripur district in northern Pakistan.

Point-of-care testing for haemoglobin A1c in remote Australian Indigenous communities improves timeliness of diabetes care.

Introduction: In remote Australia timely access to pathology results and subsequent follow-up of patients for treatment is very challenging due to the long distances to the nearest laboratory. Point-of-care testing (POCT) offers a practical solution for pathology service provision in such remote communities. Since 2008, POCT for haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) has been conducted in remote Northern Territory (NT) health centres for diabetes management of Indigenous patients through the national Quality Assurance in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Medical Services (QAAMS) Program.

Design, implementation and initial assessment of the Northern Territory Point-of-Care Testing Program.

Objective: The objective of the study was to improve pathology services in selected remote health centres from the Northern Territory (NT) through the implementation of a quality managed point-of-care pathology testing (POCT) service.

Design: Study of the efficacy of the POCT service after 1 year and qualitative survey of POCT device operators.

Setting: The study was set in thirty-three remote health centres in the NT administered by the NT Department of Health.

Assessment of the Nova StatSensor whole blood point-of-care creatinine analyzer for the measurement of kidney function in screening for chronic kidney disease.

Background: Point-of-care testing for creatinine using a fingerprick sample and resultant estimated glomerular filtration rate has potential for screening for chronic kidney disease in community settings. This study assessed the applicability of the Nova StatSensor creatinine analyzer for this purpose.

Methods: Fingerprick samples from 100 patients (63 renal, 37 healthy volunteers; range 46-962 micromol/L) were assayed using two StatSensor analyzers.