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Point-of-care diagnostics is positioned to play a central role in healthcare delivery. One of the primary drivers is the growing demand for speed at the first point of clinical interaction, said Ashissh Raichura, founder and CEO, Scanbo.
Faster diagnostics at the point of care enable clinicians to access essential health information during the initial consultation itself. This supports quicker triage, more timely decisions, and a more efficient use of healthcare resources, particularly in primary and outpatient settings, he added.
Accessibility remains a significant challenge across healthcare systems. Diagnostic services are still unevenly distributed, creating gaps in timely care. Point-of-care tools help reduce reliance on central laboratories by bringing essential testing closer to where patients are seen. When diagnostics are easier to access, routine monitoring becomes more practical, and care delivery becomes more responsive. This is particularly relevant for chronic disease management and early detection, where timely information can influence outcomes, he said.
Healthcare has traditionally focused on responding to symptoms once they appear. However, many health conditions develop gradually and may not present clear early warning signs. Preventive care depends on identifying subtle changes over time rather than relying on single diagnostic events. AI supports this shift by analysing patterns across repeated measurements and longitudinal data. Instead of viewing diagnostic results in isolation, AI systems can help identify trends and deviations from an individual’s baseline. This enables earlier awareness and more informed decisions about monitoring or further evaluation. Importantly, AI is intended to support, not replace, clinical judgement, Raichura told Pharmabiz.
Primary care increasingly requires diagnostic tools that function reliably outside traditional hospital environments. Portable and point-of-care devices allow testing to take place in clinics, community health centres, and outpatient departments, reducing the need for repeated referrals. This approach supports continuity of care by enabling healthcare teams to make informed decisions at the point where patients first seek help. It also extends basic diagnostic services to regions with limited access to full laboratory infrastructure, contributing to more inclusive healthcare delivery, he noted.
With the conclusion of the Global AI Summit in New Delhi, rather than being an experimental add-on, AI will increasingly operate in the background, organising data, identifying trends, and prioritising clinically relevant information. This year, AI in medical devices is expected to be more fully integrated into routine clinical workflows. For clinicians, this translates into clearer summaries instead of raw data. For health systems, it supports efficiency without adding operational complexity. When combined with point-of-care diagnostics, AI helps ensure that rapidly collected data is also meaningfully interpreted, he said.
Advances in speed, accessibility, decentralisation, and intelligent data analysis are reshaping how diagnostics fit into healthcare delivery. These shifts reflect a broader movement toward earlier decision-making and more responsive primary care. For companies like Scanbo, this direction aligns with the goal of enabling faster, first-level diagnostics that support clinicians at the point of care, said Raichura.
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