ARLINGTON, Va. — For the second consecutive summer, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores is extending a national tour that trains pharmacists to train their colleagues in administering point-of-care testing in community pharmacies.

This train-the-trainer program is designed to expand the knowledge of point-of-care testing exponentially in the pharmacy community.

NACDS’ Point-of-Care Testing National Tours have been made possible through generous support from Quidel, a manufacturer of diagnostic health care solutions.

In coordination with physicians and other providers, point-of-care testing empowers clinicians to use effective and fast technology to aid decision making at the point of care to improve patient health through the treatment of flu, strep throat and other acute and chronic conditions.

“This program is geared to train trainers who are then qualified to provide services like point-of-care testing that improve patients’ access to quality and efficient care,” said NACDS president and chief ­executive officer Steve ­Anderson.

“This program is a tribute to what can be accomplished through effective coordination of care. We look forward to building on the highly successful and well-received launch of this national tour, which visited 12 cities in the summer of 2015.”

At each two-day stop on the tour, participants will complete a continuing education accredited certificate program, and then they will engage in the primary purpose of the tour — the train-the-trainer component, which will enable them to teach the program.

Those who are interested in participating should complete the NACDS 2016 Point-of-Care survey (http://nacds.learnercommunity.com/national-tour) to begin the process. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, participation is limited to 40 individuals per stop.