Home Diagnostics
Recently, accelerated by the ongoing pandemic, home diagnostics saw widespread adoption in the form of tests for SARS-CoV-2. Nonetheless, home tests have a few shortcomings. Among them are, for example, how to ensure reliable test results despite potential user errors or how to achieve high test accuracy.
Due to ongoing advancements, future home tests will compete with laboratory testing as they become more accurate and accessible. We will see accurate molecular tests at the offices of our practitioners, or even our homes, that provide very accurate results within an hour from sample collection. For home settings, companies will guide users to reduce errors and ensure compliance with governmental standards.
EXAMPLE:
Cue Health, a company with headquarters in San Diego, has been innovating in the field of home diagnostics for 10 years. Their response to the pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 is a molecular test that can be performed at home. The test platform offers accuracy comparable to PCR tests, test results within minutes, and very little space for user error. The company also offers subscription-based services with 10 or 20 tests per year as well as the „buy separately“ option. With one subscription, the user has an option to be supervised while performing the test to comply with governmental regulations and be able to use the result for work or travel. Price is still high as advanced home tests face scalability issues but it is expected to drop.
Expert Statement Elisabeth Klager:
I would envision it in a way that everything is not so center-based, that you can do a lot of testing, and a lot of diagnoses from home or smaller primary care centers. You don’t have to go to the hospital for everything because it’s very easy to do blood tests and there’s so much technology out there already. You don’t have to wait in the ambulance for hours to make the test. So, I think that a lot of the testing facilities are more in primary care centers, or sometimes even at home. If you’re a chronic patient and the data is automatically transferred, then you don’t have to visit a doctor or a hospital daily.
Expert Statement Markus Riepl:
Consumers like home testing because it is convenient. You can test yourself and receive results quickly without having to disrupt your schedule. Furthermore, self-tests are private and discreet. As a result, these tests are also suitable for those who hesitate to visit their doctor for example to check of sexually transmitted diseases or similar.