Use of testing equipment in an area near the patient, rather than sending the specimen to a laboratory. This enables health care providers to learn the results of the test immediately. Glucometers were the first of many new devices that allowed tests previously performed in the laboratory to be done in the clinical setting. Examples of POCT are Nitrazine strips for measuring vaginal pH, refractometers for measuring urine specific gravity, and immunoassays for measuring the creatine phosphokinase isoenzymes, myoglobin, and troponin I. As the number of these devices increases, regulatory agencies have recognized this change in practice and have established guidelines for case quality.