Point‐of‐care testing of coagulation parameters provides a more rapid assessment of test results compared with laboratory testing. A new coagulation monitor (GEM® PCL, Instrumentation Laboratory, Kirchheim, Germany) was evaluated. Point‐of‐care data for activated partial thromboplastin time and prothrombin time (expressed as the international normalised ratio) and turn‐around‐time were compared. Coagulation parameters were compared in the blood of 57 patients with and without heparin therapy. The point‐of‐care and laboratory test results showed a bias (SD) of − 0.26 (4.55) s for activated partial thromboplastin time and − 0.011 (0.150) s for prothrombin time. The average turn‐around‐time was 3 min for point‐of‐care testing vs. 52 min for laboratory testing. We conclude that the reliability of point‐of‐care testing is sufficient for clinical use.