Lateral flow technology plays an increasingly important role in helping medical professionals to assess and monitor patient health.

Accurate, affordable, fast and portable, lateral flow devices are a vital part of the triage process, accelerating the test protocols that guide a treatment plan. Where urgent care is necessary, an early indicator to rule in/out specific conditions can be life changing, quickly filling the information void until laboratory tests return to confirm initial results.

Lateral flow tests also provide the opportunity for self-diagnosis. For serious conditions, this can protect front line services and for more common complaints, they can reduce the demand for professional assessments. They also provide patients with a convenient way to find out what is affecting their health, enabling them to make fast, informed decisions about how to treat themselves.

Remote medical services are also increasingly turning to lateral flow technology to test and measure the health of people without relying on the provision of trained professionals, medical facilities and laboratory services.

The number of applications for lateral flow tests in healthcare continue to grow. Each has an intended use that is specifically designed to meet a medical need and enhance the suite of information available to make better decisions with confidence and speed.