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Implementation of novel diagnostic tests

Discussion
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© UoD and BSAC
Earlier you watched a video with Dr Paño and Dr García discussing the timing of microbiological diagnosis in regard to Bill’s case.

They pointed out the importance of optimising microbiological sampling, transporting and processing as well as communication between clinician and microbiologist.

The yield of “novel” diagnostic tests is quite variable; not only due to the intrinsic properties of the test but also due to external circumstances, such as the epidemiological setting, the capabilities and availability of the Microbiology Lab and of the clinical environment where the information provided by the test is going to be applied.

Thus, novel diagnostic tests have to be carefully selected and implemented as suggested in the table below (based on the recommended reading by Bauer et al which you can access in the See Also section at the bottom of this page):

A table consisting of three columns: Pre Implementation; Implementation and Post implementation. Under the first column the advise is to identify the most useful novel diagnostic tests based upon the institutional priorities to improve antimicrobial prescribing, the hospital pathogen and mechanism of resistance prevalence and the integration with the Microbiology lab workflow. Also assess the process and cost of the condition the novel test is supposed to contribute to improve for time to effective therapy; utilise the information warehouse personnel to pull cost by ICD-9 code mortality data; obtain time to ID specialist consultant and 30-Day readmission. For implementation select the test because it warrants communication of novel diagnostic test results from microbiologist to physician and antimicrobial stewardship team, to educate medical staff and register interventions and acceptance rate. Post implementation tests should register time to effective therapy; time to discontinuation or de escalation; documented negative blood culture prior to hospital discharge; 30-day readmission and Mortality

© UoD and BSAC
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Antimicrobial Stewardship: Managing Antibiotic Resistance

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