The acronym POCT stands for point-of-care testing – patient-centered testing and diagnostics performed directly at the site of care rather than in a laboratory, for example, in a patient’s home or in an ambulance. POCT is often the method of choice when fast, reliable results are required with minimal effort. Point-of-care technologies are now finding their way into environmental diagnostics as well. Examples include monitoring wastewater and surface waters, sensor-based systems to improve barn climate in livestock operations, and mobile soil analysis for more precise fertilizer application in agriculture. Rapidly available data can also help protect lives in a wide range of threats.