Point-of-care testing has become a core part of how many primary care practices diagnose, treat and manage patients — but deciding which tests to offer, how to implement them and whether the investment makes sense isn’t always straightforward.

Daniel Krajcik, D.O., MBA, a primary care physician with the Cleveland Clinic, joins the show to break down the real-world considerations of bringing rapid testing into the office. He talks about which low-cost tests make sense for small practices, how to evaluate your patient population, what fixed and variable costs look like, and what it actually takes to manage staffing, training and compliance.

This interview was conducted in preparation for the feature-length Medical Economics article: "Rapid Testing: Is it right for your practice?"
Read more: https://www.medicaleconomics.com/view/rapid-testing-is-it-right-for-your-practice-

Music Credits:
FUN PLAYFUL POWERFUL FUNK by Resolute Audio - stock.adobe.com
A Textbook Example by Skip Peck - stock.adobe.com

Editor's note: Episode timestamps and transcript produced using AI tools.

0:00 — Cold open
Why rapid COVID and flu diagnosis can reduce hospitalization risk.

0:21 — Intro
Austin Littrell sets up the conversation on point-of-care testing in primary care.

1:23 — Where practices should start with testing
How patient population and practice location shape which tests make sense.

1:41 — Low-cost testing essentials
Why urine dip tests and glucometers offer high clinical value with minimal upfront cost.

3:05 — What a CLIA waiver is and how to get one
What practices need to know about federal requirements and eligible tests.

4:37 — Which rapid tests practices can offer
Strep, STIs, pregnancy, A1C, INR and the real cost tradeoffs.

6:27 — Who manages and runs point-of-care tests
Training staff, assigning a compliance lead and maintaining quality control.

7:36 — How rapid testing changes clinical workflow
When testing adds time—and when it actually saves visits and improves care.

8:50 — Revenue and patient satisfaction impact
How in-office testing boosts both billing opportunities and patient experience.

9:05 — Competing with urgent care centers
Why rapid testing has become part of primary care’s market positioning.

9:54 — P2 Management Minute
Keith Reynolds on real-world practice workflow, efficiency and engagement.

10:48 — Legal, documentation and ethical considerations
What physicians must disclose about test accuracy and limitations.

12:53 — Inventory, expiration dates and waste
Why test tracking matters for small practices and revenue protection.

13:56 — How molecular rapid tests expand primary care capabilities
STIs, COVID, flu and testing for vulnerable populations.

15:15 — Value-based care and reimbursement incentives
How point-of-care diagnostics support chronic disease quality metrics.

16:28 — Advice for overwhelmed small practices
Why starting with a single test often leads to sustainable growth.

17:29 — Geography, labs and rural access challenges
When in-office testing matters most based on distance to labs.

19:23 — The economics of primary care
Why prevention and early intervention are finally gaining financial recognition.

20:03 — Outro
Final thanks, credits and where to find future episodes.

S1 Ep109: Point-of-care testing with Daniel Krajcik, D.O., MBA

Off the Chart: A Business of Medicine Podcast