Point of Care Testing: Bridging the Disparity Gap in Healthcare Symposium
In collaboration with International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Shifa Center of Professional Excellence (SCOPE) conducted two day “Point of Care Testing: Bridging the Disparity Gap in Healthcare Symposium” under the leadership of Dr. Ghazanfar Abbas, Section Head, Chemical Pathology, Shifa International Hospitals Ltd, Islamabad.
Dr. Imran N. Ahmad, Chief of Pathology, SIHL, welcomed the participants and enlighten the significance to discuss the importance of point of care testing (POCT) in addressing healthcare disparities.
Our Chief Guest, Dr. Quaid Saeed, CEO, Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority (IHRA), emphasized the importance of prioritizing top-quality care for patients and appreciated the efforts of Shifa International Hospitals Ltd in taking this initiative to highlight the importance of POCT.
In his vote of thanks, Dr. Zeeshan Bin Ishtiaque (Chief Medical Officer, Shifa International Hospitals Ltd) applauded the efforts of Pathology Department, for their efforts in planning this symposium and thanked the faculty for accepting our invitation and sharing their expertise to ensure a successful patient outcome. He further added that we need to learn more, we need to collaborate with people more. This is the learning curve – the journey we are on!
Eminent speakers consisted of Dr. Adil Khan, Dr. Lena Jafri, Dr. Muhammad Aamir, Dr. Samarina Musaad, Dr. Paul Jarvis, Dr. Michel Vaubourdolle, Dr. Julie Shaw, Dr. Sohini Sengupta, Dr. Prasad Pamini, Dr. Paloma Oliver, Dr. Gerald Kost and Dr. Ghazanfar Abbas in the symposium.
Throughout the symposium, attendees participated in a series of presentations and hands on workshop that explored the challenges and opportunities associated with POCT, and identified strategies for increasing access to and improving the quality of POCT.
Key Themes and Takeaways:
- Addressing Healthcare Disparities
- Technology and Innovation
- Collaboration and Partnerships
- Quality Assurance and Regulatory Issues
Overall, the symposium provided an important opportunity for healthcare professionals to come together to discuss the critical role of POCT in addressing healthcare disparities.
Attendees left the symposium with a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities associated with POCT, and a renewed commitment to working together to ensure that all patients have access to high-quality diagnostic and monitoring tools.