Development of a Web site for a Decentralized Point-of-Care Testing Program

The authors have developed a Web site that is devoted to point-of-care testing at our institution. The Web site is used to share the most recent information about point-of-care issues (standard operating procedures, quality control tools, validation tools, changes in regulations, training sessions, and to help document competency using online tests) with the nursing department, and to evaluate the competency of physicians, residents, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants in reading provider performed microscopy slides. The Web site has enabled point-of-care personnel to focus on training (documentation of quality control, how to run the test, etc.), which has led to increased regulatory compliance at all point-of-care testing sites. As with any process, there are specific steps that should be taken to minimize the time required to build a Web site. This paper outlines these steps and shows how a Web site can be used as the backbone of an integrated point-of-care program.