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. 2021 Jan:107:35-39.
doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2020.09.035. Epub 2020 Oct 7.

Targeted rapid testing for SARS-CoV-2 in the emergency department is associated with large reductions in uninfected patient exposure time

J S Hinson  1 , R E Rothman  2 , K Carroll  3 , H H Mostafa  3 , K Ghobadi  4 , A Smith  2 , D Martinez  2 , K Shaw-Saliba  2 , E Klein  2 , S Levin  2
Affiliations

Targeted rapid testing for SARS-CoV-2 in the emergency department is associated with large reductions in uninfected patient exposure time

J S Hinson et al. J Hosp Infect. 2021 Jan.

Abstract

Opportunity exists to decrease healthcare-related exposure to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), preserve infection control resources, and increase care capacity by reducing the time to diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). A retrospective cohort analysis was undertaken to measure the effect of targeted rapid molecular testing for SARS-CoV-2 on these outcomes. In comparison with standard platform testing, rapid testing was associated with a 65.6% reduction (12.6 h) in the median time to removal from the isolation cohort for patients with negative diagnostic results. This translated to an increase in COVID-19 treatment capacity of 3028 bed-hours and 7500 fewer patient interactions that required the use of personal protective equipment per week.

Keywords: COVID-19; Rapid diagnostics; SARS-CoV-2.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Exposure time for uninfected patients. (A) Daily volume of patients who were tested for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2) in the emergency department and remained in the hospital setting until their test results, stratified by standard (light blue) and rapid (dark blue) testing platforms. (B) Boxplot analysis of exposure time of uninfected patients, measured as time from SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic test order to first treatment space re-assignment after a negative result, for both standard (light blue) and rapid (dark blue) testing platforms. Median is represented by an orange horizontal line, interquartile range by boxes, and 95% of range by whiskers.
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