Abstract: A hand-held test meter for use with an analytical test strip (such as an electrochemical-based analytical test strip) in the determination of an analyte (e.g., glucose) in a bodily fluid sample (such as a whole blood sample) includes a housing, a display block, a micro-controller disposed in the housing, a strip detection circuit block disposed in the housing, and a strip port connector with a test strip insertion detector(s). The test strip insertion detector(s) and strip detection circuit block are configured to detect the insertion of an analytical test strip into the strip port connector and send an insertion signal to the micro-controller upon such detection. In addition, the micro-controller is configured to receive the insertion signal, distinguish an orientation of analytical test strip insertion based on at least the insertion signal and signal the display module to display a predetermined message to a user based on the distinguished orientation of analytical test strip insertion.