[Considering what clinical laboratories should become in the future--POCT, mail testing and OTC test]

Abstract

Medical staff working in laboratories have shown little or no interest in POCT, mail testing and OTC test. POCT and mail testing are laboratory systems that respectively involve a series of laboratory processes (advice on sampling, interpretation of data, referral to a doctor, etc.). However, the usefulness of data in the two systems differs. Data in POCT are directly used for medical treatment and those in mail testing are used as screening for health control or self-medication. OTC test is different from POCT and mail testing. People buy materials for OTC test at a drug store, then perform it and interpret the data by themselves. There are several factors in the development of POCT, mail testing and OTC test, for example the awareness of people about participation and responsibility for their own medical care, control of lifestyle-related diseases, relaxation of governmental regulation and development of technologies. These laboratories will grow gradually and influence clinical laboratories in medical facilities as well as commercial laboratories. Medical technologists and laboratory physicians should contribute to the sound development of these laboratories. As things are being changing so rapidly, medical technologists and laboratory physicians are forced to realign.