LEADER, Sask. — A diagnostic tool first introduced in Leader is now being rolled out to more rural Saskatchewan hospitals as part of a provincial push to stabilize emergency services and improve access to care in remote communities.
Point of Care Testing (POCT) devices, which can deliver vital lab results in under 30 minutes, were first piloted in Leader, Maple Creek and Wynyard in 2023. Since then, the technology has helped prevent 91 potential emergency room service disruptions across the province, according to the Saskatchewan government.
Now, the province is expanding POCT to emergency departments in Kamsack, La Loche and Shaunavon, saying the tool allows frontline health-care teams to continue delivering emergency care when lab staff aren’t available on-site.
“Expanding point-of-care testing into rural and remote communities across Saskatchewan empowers our frontline professionals to deliver rapid diagnostic services and ensures patients receive important lab tests and necessary care when regular lab staff are not available,” said Seniors and Rural and Remote Health Minister Lori Carr in a statement.
Each of the new sites received $33,000 in provincial funding to support the addition of POCT technology. The portable devices can quickly analyze blood sugar, hemoglobin, white blood cell counts and cardiac markers — tests essential for urgent clinical decision-making.
In Leader, where POCT has been in place for more than a year, the Saskatchewan Health Authority says the technology has made a meaningful difference in avoiding service interruptions and keeping emergency departments open during staffing shortages.
“This approach ensures patients receive prompt access to diagnosis and treatment as close to their home as possible,” said Brandi Keller, executive director of laboratory medicine for the SHA. “It supports reliable access to emergency departments in rural and remote communities.”
While the province says POCT is not a permanent solution, it remains a critical stop-gap to maintain care. Recruitment and retention of lab professionals in rural Saskatchewan continues to be a key focus of the government’s broader health-care strategy.