Point of Care Technology for Underserved Populations

Point of Care technology is an emerging healthcare field. This technology allows for rapid, inexpensive, on-site testing for otherwise lengthy and costly laboratory tests. Leading infectious diseases can be tested immediately in non-invasive ways similar to using a pregnancy test. This inexpensive, highly portable, and extremely accurate technology should be used for populations that have historically lacked access. Such access would result in immediate cost savings and life savings. Underserved populations in America such as migrant workers or people living in poverty rarely receive the testing they require. Although clinics for illegal immigrants exist where they are protected and cannot be relocated due to their immigration status, many of these clinics do not conduct laboratory testing. When the laboratory tests are ordered for these people, they may not return for results due to lack of transportation, fear of debt, or fear of being deported. With Point of Care technology, testing for diseases that most affect these populations including Tuberculosis, Diabetes, Hepatitis, and STI’s can be done on site under the protection of the clinics at free or reduced cost. Providing increased access to testing benefits the targeted populations’ health as well as the government through reduced healthcare related costs. This initiative prevents these diseases from progressing to hospital required stages or spreading to others, regardless of immigration status. I am in the early stages of contacting companies that produce P.O.C. devices to see if they would be interested in bringing these devices to the UConn Migrant Farmer Clinics