What Are Point-of-Care Diagnostics?

Point-of-care (POC) diagnostics are medical tests performed directly where the patient receives care, such as clinics, urgent care centers, pediatric offices, school health clinics, and community healthcare settings. Unlike traditional lab tests, these do not require shipping samples, so patients receive answers faster and can start treatment immediately.
POC saliva diagnostics are particularly advantageous for strep testing, providing fast, accurate, and non-invasive results.

Why Point-of-Care Diagnostics Matter for Strep Throat

Strep throat infections require prompt detection. Delays can lead to:

✅ Prolonged discomfort for children
✅ Increased risk of complications
✅ Unnecessary antibiotic usage

Traditional lab workflows can take 24–48 hours, leaving patients untreated or receiving antibiotics “just in case.” A point-of-care strep test allows clinicians to detect Group A Streptococcus during the same visit and prescribe antibiotics only when needed.

Advantages of SalivIQ™ Point-of-Care Testing

✅ Non-invasive saliva collection
✅ Rapid turnaround: as little as 22 minutes
✅ No specialized training required
✅ Molecular-level accuracy

Learn more about SalivIQ™ Point-of-Care Testing

Benefits for Patients and Families

POC diagnostics improve patient experiences and family convenience:

✅ Same-visit results reduce repeat clinic appointments
✅ Children receive relief faster
✅ Minimizes school absences
✅ Streamlines care and scheduling

Learn more about how saliva diagnostics transform infectious disease detection in our Saliva Diagnostics for Infectious Diseases

For Clinic Administrators & Health System Leaders

Point-of-care strep testing is also beneficial from a management and operational perspective:

✅ Reduces clinic workload and staff training requirements
✅ Minimizes follow-up visits and repeat sampling
✅ Cost savings by lowering unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions and lab expenses
✅ Efficient workflow supports high-volume or seasonal testing spikes

Limitations of Older Testing Methods

Traditional rapid strep tests often require uncomfortable throat swabs. Accuracy is variable, and unclear results may require backup cultures. This extends diagnostic timelines, increases anxiety for patients, and can delay appropriate treatment. Unlike traditional throat swabs, SalivIQ™ offers a painless alternative, similar to our No-Swab Strep Test for Kids.

Public Health Impact

Widespread adoption of accurate POC strep tests can:

✅ Reduce unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions
✅ Limit the spread of infectious diseases
✅ Reduce emergency room visits during peak seasons

By catching infections earlier, communities benefit from improved disease control and fewer complications. For more details on the importance of accurate strep testing, see our Accurate Strep Test blog

Take Action: Explore SalivIQ™ Point-of-Care Testing

Contact us to explore the saliva diagnostics platform