Balancing speed, quality, and profitability has never been more complex for point-of-care (POC) laboratories. As reimbursement rates tighten and supply costs rise, many labs are being asked to do more with less—without compromising accuracy or compliance.
Fortunately, sustainability and scale can go hand in hand. With the right operational strategies, POC labs can reduce waste, streamline workflows, and protect margins, all while delivering faster, more reliable results.
Financial Pressures Facing Point-of-Care Labs
Reimbursement Reductions
Recent changes to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule have lowered payment rates for laboratory services, directly affecting revenue streams. According to VMG Health, 2025 reimbursement updates have decreased relative value units (RVUs) for lab and pathology services by roughly 1.30, a seemingly small change that can have an outsized impact on high-volume, low-margin testing environments (1).
Rising Operational Costs
Beyond reimbursement, cost pressures are mounting. Consumables, shipping fees, and instrument maintenance expenses continue to climb. The 2025 MLO State of the Industry Survey found that 66% of laboratory professionals ranked funding among their top challenges, while 64% actively track cost per test as a key performance metric—a sharp increase from the year before. These insights show that every reagent, cartridge, and shipment now matters more than ever (2).
Staffing Challenges
Meanwhile, staffing shortages remain a defining strain on the industry. SelectScience reports that limited training pipelines and an aging workforce are fueling a nationwide shortage of qualified technologists. The result is heavier workloads and a greater risk of burnout for existing staff (3).
Strategies for Sustainable Point-of-Care Testing
Standardize Test MenusA broad, inconsistent test menu can complicate training, increase waste, and inflate costs. Standardizing assays across POC sites helps reduce reagent variety, simplify supply management, and ensure consistent quality across teams.
According to Orchard Software, when all testing locations use the same methodologies and instrumentation, they can share standardized policies, procedures, and quality-control processes—streamlining operations while improving safety and compliance (4).
Implement Efficient WorkflowsEfficiency doesn’t require massive automation overhauls—it begins with process design. Consolidating methodologies, optimizing workspace layout, and reducing manual data entry can cut turnaround times while minimizing errors. According to Clinical Lab Products, workflow standardization and automation are among the most effective levers for scalability in decentralized settings (5).
Leverage Data ConnectivityModern POCT data management systems connect multiple analyzers, users, and sites through a single dashboard. These tools enhance compliance by tracking operator certifications and device performance in real time, ensuring accurate results flow seamlessly into patient records. Improved visibility also helps managers identify gaps before they impact throughput or quality.
Navigating Supply Chain and Tariff Challenges
Global tariffs and shipping volatility continue to influence pricing and product availability. The 2025 tariff increases on diagnostic imports have already raised costs for many U.S. healthcare providers. ECRI Institute warns that 80% of industry stakeholders expect healthcare supply costs to rise by at least 15% this year, underscoring the need for stronger vendor diversification and contingency planning.
Labs that diversify their supplier base by favoring domestic or regionally sourced reagents and consumables are better positioned to absorb market disruptions and maintain pricing stability (6).
SEKISUI Diagnostics: Supporting Your Lab’s Success
SEKISUI Diagnostics provides a portfolio of point-of-care solutions designed to help labs maintain profitability and reliability at scale.
- Accurate, easy-to-use products streamline staff training and reduce workflow variability.
- Technical support and training resources minimize reruns and maintain quality control.
- Operationally efficient packaging and shelf life reduce waste and reordering frequency.
- Improve your bottom line with QC Inside®. Most OSOM® kits include this feature which allows you to use the entire kit to test patient samples as we provide 2 additional tests for quality control at no charge.
With SEKISUI Diagnostics’ help, POC labs can deliver rapid results without sacrificing sustainability—or their bottom line.
Conclusion: Building a Resilient, Scalable Future
As diagnostic testing continues to expand beyond the core lab, financial sustainability depends on smarter operations, not just faster tests. From cost control and workflow optimization to vendor strategy and staff efficiency, incremental changes can yield significant long-term gains.
SEKISUI Diagnostics is here to support that transformation—helping point-of-care teams optimize performance, ensure compliance, and scale sustainably in 2025 and beyond.
Explore solutions designed for efficiency and profitability: https://sekisuidiagnostics.com/products/point-of-care-testing/
References
1. Cohen, Frank. The 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule: Essential Changes & Strategic Impact. VMG Health. [Online] February 2025. https://vmghealth.com/insights/blog/the-2025-medicare-physician-fee-schedule-essential-changes-strategic-impact/.
2. Nadeau, Kara. U.S. Medical labs embrace digital transformation amid staffing, cost and data challenges: Key insights from the 2025 MLO State of the Industry (SOI) Survey. Medical Laboratory Observer. [Online] MLO, February 2025. https://www.mlo-online.com/information-technology/analytics/article/55263674/us-medical-labs-embrace-digital-transformation-amid-staffing-cost-and-data-challenges-key-insights-from-the-2025-mlo-state-of-the-industry-soi-survey.
3.Bryan Hanson. What's behind today's clinical laboratory staffing shortage? SelectScience. [Online] SelectScience, January 2025. https://www.selectscience.net/article/what-s-behind-today-s-clinical-laboratory-staffing-shortage.
4. Futrell, Kim, MT(ASCP) MSHI. Standardizing Your Point-of-Care Testing (POCT) Program. [White Paper] s.l. : Orchard Software, Orchard Software, 2020.
5. Lundin, Andy. Modernizing Lab Workflow: People, Process, and Tech. Clinical Lab Products Magazine. [Online] Clinical Lab Products, May 2025. https://clpmag.com/lab-management/modernizing-lab-workflow-people-process-and-tech.
6. Morris-Hipkins, MSc, ACMA, CGMA, Stuart. Building resilient supply chains amid tariff uncertainty. ECRI. [Online] April 2025. https://home.ecri.org/blogs/ecri-news/building-resilient-supply-chains-amid-tariff-uncertainty-6.
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