ASTM messaging for point-of-care testing, explained

If you run point-of-care tests on a small bench analyser, you have probably met a device that will only send its results down a serial cable. It has a socket at the back, a lead that runs to a nearby PC, and results that either print out or sit in a program nobody else can see. Copying those numbers into your patient record or laboratory system by hand is slow, and every retype is a chance to transpose a digit.

Many of these analysers speak a messaging family known as ASTM. It is older than the network-based standards you may have read about, but it is still very common on smaller and long-serving instruments. This guide explains, in plain terms, what ASTM messaging is, why the serial link behind it can be fiddly, and how Catenix brings these devices into the same workspace as your networked ones.

Quick answer

ASTM messaging, made up of the E1381 transport and the E1394 record structure, is an older, serial-oriented way for analysers to send results to a computer. It works reliably but depends on a physical serial link, so cabling and port settings have to match at both ends. Catenix connects to ASTM analysers through a small on-site gateway, so their results are captured automatically and land in the same workspace as networked devices, with quality control kept separate from patient results.

What ASTM messaging is and why it is still common

ASTM messaging is a way for a laboratory instrument to send structured information to a computer over a direct link. People often talk about two parts. The first, referred to as E1381, is the low-level transport: the rules for how one device and its partner take turns, start a message, and confirm that it arrived. The second, E1394, is the record structure: how the content is organised so the receiving computer can tell a patient detail from an order and from a result.

It is an older approach that predates the network-first standards common on newer instruments, and it was designed for a direct cable between two machines. Even so, it remains widespread. Plenty of dependable analysers still in daily use in clinics were built around it, and there is no need to replace a good instrument simply because it favours a serial connection.

How an ASTM message is organised

Without going into the wire detail, it helps to picture an ASTM message as a short set of framed records that arrive in a sensible order. There is usually a header that says which instrument is talking and when. After that come records that describe the patient the sample belongs to, the order or test that was requested, and then the results themselves: one or more values with their units and any flags the instrument has attached.

The point of this structure is that the receiving software does not have to guess. It can read each record for what it is and place the numbers where they belong. Catenix reads these records so a result arrives as a proper result, tied to the right context, rather than as a loose line of text.

The snags of a serial link

The awkward part of ASTM is rarely the message itself. It is the serial connection underneath it. A serial link is a physical cable with a small number of settings that both ends have to agree on, and if they do not agree the data will not come through cleanly.

• Cabling. Serial leads come in different wirings, and the socket on the analyser has to be matched to the right cable and adaptor. A lead that looks correct can still be wired the wrong way round.
• Speed and parity. Both ends must use the same connection speed and the same error-checking settings. If one side is set differently, results can arrive garbled or not at all.
• Serial-to-network converters. Because modern computers rarely have serial ports, sites often use a small converter that presents the serial device on the network. These are useful, but they add another box with its own settings to get right.

None of this is difficult once it is set correctly, but it is exactly the sort of fiddly, one-off configuration that is easy to get wrong and easy to forget how you fixed.

How Catenix brings ASTM analysers into one workspace

Catenix installs a small gateway on site. The gateway speaks the ASTM family, so it can sit at the end of the serial link, or on the far side of a serial-to-network converter, and take in the results the analyser sends. From the clinic's point of view, the fiddly connection is set up once and then quietly does its job.

Once the gateway has a result, it goes to the same cloud workspace as your networked analysers, so a serial bench instrument and a networked one appear side by side rather than in separate silos. Quality control readings are captured too, and Catenix keeps QC data separate from patient results, so control runs do not clutter or contaminate the patient record. From the workspace, results can be forwarded on to the laboratory or clinical systems a site already runs, and the record of what arrived and when is kept. You can read more on our platform overview.

Getting connected

To connect an ASTM analyser, a site needs the instrument itself, the correct serial lead (or a serial-to-network converter if the computer has no serial port), and somewhere for the small gateway to run. It helps to know the analyser's make and model and the connection settings it expects, though these can usually be confirmed during setup.

If you are not sure what your device speaks or how it is currently wired, that is a normal starting point. Get in touch through our contact page and we can talk through what your instrument sends and how it would fit. For how results and data are protected, see security.

Questions clinics ask

Can I connect an ASTM analyser to my LIS?

Yes, in most cases. Catenix connects to the analyser through an on-site gateway, captures the results, and can forward them to the laboratory or clinical system your site already uses. The analyser keeps its serial connection and the gateway handles the rest.

My analyser only has a serial port and our PCs do not. Is that a problem?

No. A small serial-to-network converter presents the serial device on your network, and the Catenix gateway can read it from there. It is a common setup and is sorted out once during installation.

What is the difference between E1381 and E1394?

They are two parts of the same messaging family. E1381 is the low-level transport that governs how two devices take turns and confirm a message arrived, and E1394 describes how the content is structured into records for the patient, order and result. Catenix handles both.

Will quality control runs end up mixed in with patient results?

No. Catenix captures QC readings but keeps them separate from patient results, so control runs are recorded for your quality processes without appearing in a patient's record.

How much does connecting a device cost?

Pricing depends on your site and the devices involved. See /pricing/ for an overview, or get in touch through the contact page and we can talk it through.

Is ASTM out of date? Should we replace our analyser?

ASTM is older than the network-based standards, but it is still widely used and works reliably. There is no need to replace a good analyser just because it uses a serial connection, and Catenix is designed to bring these instruments into the same workspace as newer ones.

Product and company names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective owners. Reference to them is for identification only and does not imply any affiliation with, endorsement by, or certification from those owners. This page describes connectivity and data handling only and is not clinical advice.

Reviewed July 2026. Back to integrations.