Revolutionizing clinical microbiology laboratory organization in hospitals with in situ point-of-care.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Clinical microbiology may direct decisions regarding hospitalization, isolation and anti-infective therapy, but it is not effective at the time of early care. Point-of-care (POC) tests have been developed for this purpose.

Methods and findings

One pilot POC-lab was located close to the core laboratory and emergency ward to test the proof of concept. A second POC-lab was located inside the emergency ward of a distant hospital without a microbiology laboratory. Twenty-three molecular and immuno-detection tests, which were technically undemanding, were progressively implemented, with results obtained in less than four hours. From 2008 to 2010, 51,179 tests yielded 6,244 diagnoses. The second POC-lab detected contagious pathogens in 982 patients who benefited from tar

SUBMITTER: Cohen-Bacrie S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3139639 | biostudies-literature | 2011

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature