Multiplex PCR point of care testing versus routine, laboratory-based testing in the treatment of adults with respiratory tract infections: a quasi-randomised study assessing impact on length of stay and antimicrobial use

Andrews, Denise; Chetty, Yumela; Cooper, Ben S.; Virk, Manjinder; Glass, Stephen K; Letters, Andrew; Kelly, Philip A.; Sudhanva, Malur; Jeyaratnam, Dakshika

The study took place in a 900 bedded teaching and tertiary referral site of a two-site 1450 bedded acute NHS hospital Trust in London.Four FilmArray® systems were placed in side-rooms across three adult (>16 years) wards: two Acute Medical Units (AMUs) and the Medical Assessment Centre (MAC). The AMUs are 28 and 30 bedded short-stay, acute medical wards to which patients are admitted from the Emergency Department (ED). The MAC is an area to which out-patients can be referred for review by clinicians. It is open daily from 8 am to 10 pm. MAC patients are assessed and then admitted to an AMU or discharged.