Chapter 6 of The Getting Started Series: Setting Up Your Student Health Center for Point-of-Care Testing

Student health centers are often the first place students turn when they’re feeling unwell, need quick answers, or are looking for peace of mind. For clinics managing everything from respiratory season to sexual health screenings, point-of-care (POC) testing is a game-changer.

With the right setup, your student health center can provide faster diagnoses, more efficient care, and better student outcomes, all in a single visit.

Why POC Testing Belongs in Student Health

Point‑of‑care testing delivers results before patients leave the clinic—enabling clinicians to complete diagnosis, counseling, and treatment within a single visit, a workflow that aligns perfectly with the needs of today’s busy students (1).

For student health centers, this translates into:

• Higher student satisfaction
• Improved antibiotic stewardship (treat when appropriate, avoid when not)
• Streamlined clinic operations

Step 1: Cover Your Bases – CLIA Waiver & Compliance

Before you run your first test, you’ll need a CLIA Certificate of Waiver from CMS. This certificate will cover “waived” tests, which are simple, low-risk diagnostics often cleared by the FDA for home or near-patient use.

Even waived testing requires diligence: follow manufacturer instructions, run quality control, document results, and keep clear records (2).

Step 2: Build a Population-Centered Test Menu

Not every test belongs at the point of care—but some are essential in a college setting. Here’s where many student health centers start:

• Respiratory Illness – Rapid molecular and antigen tests for Flu A/B and COVID-19 remain important for point-of-care testing, especially during respiratory season (3).
• Strep Throat (Strep A) – Not as common an infection in young adults as it is in children, but prevalent enough that most campus health centers will benefit from having a rapid test for Strep A at the point of care (4).
• Sexual Health – CDC recommends screening all sexually active women under the age of 25 for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea, as well as screening high-risk or asymptomatic women for Trichomonas, and all women aged 13 – 64 for HIV (5).
• Urinalysis – A primary care staple, point-of-care urine screening for UTI and pregnancy are common tests for most health centers or clinical practices to keep on-hand (6).

Step 3: Train, Equip, and Empower Your Team

Every test is only as good as the person running it. One idea is to assign a testing lead to oversee quality control, inventory, and training (7). Ensure each provider is competent in specimen collection, timing, reading, and documenting results.

Resources like CDC’s Ready? Set? Test! provide practical checklists to streamline training.

Step 4: Prioritize Safety & Privacy

• Safety: Stock PPE, sharps containers, and spill kits; reference and implement OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens Standard.
• Biosafety: Use the CDC/NIH’s BMBL guidelines for safe lab practices.
• Privacy: HHS and the U.S. Department of Education authored a joint guide for student health centers to learn and understand how they must navigate both FERPA and HIPAA.

Step 5: Measure Success

When piloting POC testing, track:

• Time-to-result
• Same-day treatment rates
• Reduction in send-outs
• Student satisfaction feedback

These metrics help demonstrate value to campus stakeholders and ensure continuous improvement (7).

Key Takeaway

By introducing POC testing, student health centers can deliver faster answers, more effective treatment, and better student care experiences. With proper certification, a thoughtful test menu, and a strong training program, your clinic can meet student needs while staying compliant.

At SEKISUI Diagnostics, we’re here to help you navigate this journey, bringing the right diagnostics, guidance, and support to your student health program.

Contact Our Teams Worldwide - Sekisui Diagnostics

References

1. Orchard Software. Today's Point-of-Care testing Programs Require Teamwork. Orchard Software. [Online] Orchard Software, 2021. https://www.orchardsoft.com/white-paper/todays-point-of-care-testing-programs-require-teamwork/.
2. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA): How to obtain a CLIA Certificate. [Online] CMS, 2024. https://www.cms.gov/regulations-and-guidance/legislation/clia/downloads/howobtaincertificateofwaiver.pdf.
3. Emory Healthcare. New combination tests for flu, COVID-19 are here. How well do they work? [Online] Emory Healthcare, 2024. https://www.emoryhealthcare.org/newsroom/2024/10/new-combination-tests-for-flu-covid-19-are-here-how-well-do-they-work.
4. Kalra, D.O., Monica G., Higgins, D.O., Kim E. and Perez, M.D., Evan D. Common Questions About Steptococcal Pharyngitis. American Family Physician. [Online] AAFP, 2016. https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2016/0701/p24.html.
5. Centers for Disease Control. Screening Recommendations and Considerations Referenced in Treatment Guidelines and Original Sources. Sexually Transmitted Infections Treatment Guideliens, 2021. [Online] 2021. https://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment-guidelines/screening-recommendations.htm.
6. Testing.com. Point-of-Care Testing. Testing.com. [Online] 2025. https://www.testing.com/articles/point-of-care-testing.
7. Orchard Software. Today's Point-of-Care Testing Programs Require Teamwork. Orchard Software. [Online] Orchard Software, 2021. https://www.orchardsoft.com/white-paper/todays-point-of-care-testing-programs-require-teamwork/.