The Saskatchewan Health Authority is expanding its point-of-care testing program to four new communities.

The program, which the health authority said is designed to help improve service at ERs in rural areas, sees health-care staff members perform rapid, on-site diagnostics when urgent tests are ordered, “so rural emergency departments can continue delivering timely patient care when lab professionals are unavailable.”

Read more: • SHA updates its emergency service disruptions notification process • ER nurse says more beds in hallways than in rooms at RUH • Lack of ER support tops health complaints list for First Nations patients

Tests performed under the point-of-care program can include hemoglobin tests to evaluate anemia and blood loss, white blood cell counts which can determ

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