The United States has the highest annual per-capita health expenditures of developed countries, yet its population still faces significant health challenges. Many changes to the system are being proposed to address current inadequacies.

To respond to the needs of an increasingly unhealthy population comprised of individuals with multiple chronic conditions, one goal of these changes is higher quality care at reduced cost, with a shift in focus from utilization of specialized care for the treatment of late-stage disease to an emphasis on patient-centered approaches and coordinated care teams that promote wellness and effective disease management.

The evolving healthcare system includes new delivery models in which primary care physicians and nurses are assuming more significant roles, with the patient more involved in decision-making and self-care. These changes require the development of inexpensive and easy-to-use medical devices and information sharing tools that provide timely health status information at the point of care.

To address these challenges, the NIBIB created the Point of Care Technologies Research Network (POCTRN) in 2007. POCTRN’s purpose is to drive the development of appropriate point of care diagnostic technologies through collaborative efforts that merge scientific and technological capabilities with clinical need.

• Opportunities for collaboration with each Center can be identified by visting the resources section or by contacting the POCTRN Program Director, Tiffani Lash.
• Join the NIBIB Point of Care Technologies listserv to receive email notices regarding point of care technology announcements and POCTRN center solicitations.