A diagnostic method and associated test kit for detecting an analyte
residing in a test sample is provided. The kit includes a housing, and a
membrane disposed within the housing having a detection region and a
collection region. A blood sample meter is provided having a first end
for absorption of a blood sample, a filtering section adjacent to the
first end that filters red blood cell components from the blood sample,
and a storage section adjacent to the filtering section that receives
plasma or serum from the filtering section. An opening in the housing is
sized for insertion of the sample meter into the housing such that the
storage section of the sample meter is disposed in fluid communication
with the collection region of the membrane. The plasma or serum is
transferred from the storage section of the sample meter to the
collection region of the membrane for subsequent migration to the
detection region.