Table 5.

Number (percentage; 95% CI) of times treatment was changed because of earlier availability of test results with point of care testing by type of treatment change and median (range) score on scale of the importance of the timing of the change. Scores ⩾7 (range 0 to 10) indicate that timing of the treatment change was considered to be critical

Change in treatment	Median (range) score of importance of timing	No (%; 95% CI) of times
		treatment changed (n=120)*
Start intravenous glucose	10 (9 to 10)	3 (2.5; 0.5 to 7.1)
Start intravenous potassium	7 (1 to 10)	14 (11.7; 6.5 to 18.8)
Start intravenous insulin	8 (4 to 10)	7 (5.8; 2.4 to 11.6)
Start intravenous hydrocortisone	5 (0 to 10)	1 (0.8; 0 to 4.6)
Start intravenous aminophylline	6 (2 to 10)	1 (0.8; 0 to 4.6)
Start intravenous antibiotics	3 (0 to 10)	1 (0.8; 0 to 4.6)
Stop intravenous potassium	7 (2 to 10)	1 (0.8; 0 to 4.6)
Stop intravenous insulin	8 (3 to 10)	2 (1.7; 0.2 to 5.9)
Start intravenous infusion for dehydration	5 (1 to 7)	18 (15.0; 9.1 to 22.7)
Start intravenous infusion in diabetic ketoacidosis	9 (4 to 10)	3 (2.5; 0.5 to 7.1)
Stop intravenous infusion	3 (0 to 6)	2 (1.7; 0.2 to 5.9)
Change rate of intravenous infusion	3 (0 to 7)	7 (5.8; 2.4 to 11.6)
Start urgent blood transfusion	8 (1 to 10)	11 (9.2; 4.7 to 15.8)
Stop inappropriate blood transfusion	5 (1 to 10)	26 (21.7; 13.7 to 30.1)
Start oxygen therapy	10 (7 to 10)	2 (1.7; 0.2 to 5.9)
Change oxygen therapy	9 (4 to 10)	11 (9.2; 4.7 to 15.8)
Intubate or ventilate	10 (4 to 10)	5 (4.2; 1.4 to 9.5)
Start intravenous bicarbonate	6 (0 to 10)	1 (0.8; 0 to 4.6)
Start oral potassium	1 (0 to 6)	3 (2.5; 0.5 to 7.1)
Start fluid restriction	3 (0 to 7)	1 (0.8; 0 to 4.6)

^*Treatment was changed more than once for some patients because of point of care results. Only the treatment change that was most dependent on time is shown for each patient