Increasing SARS-CoV-2 testing capacity through specimen pooling: An acute care center experience.

ABSTRACT: Innovation in laboratory testing algorithms to address seemingly uncontrollable global supply chain shortages in plastics and other consumables during emergencies such as the current COVID-19 pandemic have been urgently needed. We report our experience with specimen pooling on SARS-CoV-2 testing in an acute care hospital microbiology laboratory during a high testing demand period that exceeded available processing capacity. A fully automated four-in-one pooling algorithm was designed and validated. Correlation and agreement were calculated. A custom Microsoft Excel tool was designed for use by the technologists to aid interpretation, verification and result entry. Cost-per-test impact for pooling was measured in reference to the consumable cost and was denoted as the percentage reduction o

SUBMITTER: Cabrera A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10306409 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature