PoC
Abbreviation with 3 meanings
| Stands for | Proof of concept |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 3 |
| Categories | Technology & Computing, Writing & Everyday, Medical |
| Also written | POC |
PoC has three meanings. The most common are Proof of concept (programming) and Point of contact (email and office); it can also stand for Plan of care.
Meanings of PoC at a glance
| # | PoC stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proof of concept | Technology & Computing › Programming |
| 2 | Point of contact | Writing & Everyday › Email and Office |
| 3 | Plan of care | Medical › Medical Documentation |
1. Proof of concept
Technology & Computing · Programming Abbreviations · also used in business
A small, often throwaway implementation built to show that an idea, technology or approach is feasible before investing in full development. In security, a PoC is code demonstrating that a vulnerability can actually be exploited.
Example: Build a quick PoC with the new vector database before we commit to migrating search.
A PoC answers "can it work?", whereas a prototype explores how it should look and a minimum viable product tests whether people want it. Security researchers often publish PoC exploits after a patch ships, which can trigger a rush of attacks on unpatched systems. Also written POC, which elsewhere can mean point of contact.
2. Point of contact (POC)
Writing & Everyday · Email and Office Abbreviations
Names the person responsible for communication about a project, account, event or request. It is common in government, military, corporate and nonprofit correspondence.
Example: For any questions about badge access, Lena Ortiz in Facilities is your POC.
US military and federal government memos use POC heavily, often in a closing line such as "The POC for this memorandum is..." In technology and business, POC more often means "proof of concept," a small demonstration that an idea works, so context matters. The plural is POCs, and it is pronounced as letters.
3. Plan of care (POC)
Medical · Medical Documentation Abbreviations
Documented set of goals, interventions and expected outcomes for a patient, developed by the care team and updated as the patient changes. Home health and rehabilitation plans must be signed by a physician or allowed practitioner.
Example: POC reviewed with patient and daughter; goals updated for discharge home.
In US home health, the plan of care is recorded on CMS form 485 or its electronic equivalent. Interdisciplinary plans combine nursing, therapy, dietary and social work goals. In laboratory medicine POC means point of care, as in POC glucose testing.
Related abbreviations
More programming abbreviations
- PEP – Python Enhancement Proposal
- PHP – PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor
- PID – Process identifier
- pip – pip Installs Packages
- POJO – Plain old Java object
- PR – Pull request
- PRNG – Pseudorandom number generator
- PTAL – Please take a look
See all 154 programming abbreviations →
More email and office abbreviations
- OOF – Out of facility
- OOO – Out of office
- PFA – Please find attached
- PFB – Please find below
- PTO – Paid time off
- QQ – Quick question
- RE – Reply (email subject prefix)
- Ref. – Reference
See all 60 email and office abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.