Survey on Point of Care testing (POCT) for seasonal influenza and other respiratory viruses

Type of service and tests

In recent years there has been an increase in the options available to perform point of care testing. This survey aims:

1) to capture the current status of use of point of care testing in the ESCMID community and

2) to highlight areas of best practice and areas where further work is required.

Definition:

Point of care test is a medical diagnostic test that is performed at or near the site of patient and can be undertaken by healthcare professionals who are not laboratory trained. The results of the test are available in real-time and usually in less than 90 minutes.

Question Title

* 1. In your current organisation, is point of care testing available for influenza / other respiratory viruses? The POCT may be in use in laboratories or other healthcare facilities

Yes

No (go directly to question 16)

Question Title

* 2. How many point of care tests are performed in a year in your institution?

<50 tests

50-100 tests

100-499 tests

500-999

1000-4999

>5000

I don't know

Question Title

* 3. Where is respiratory virus POCT performed in your organisation? Multiple answers possible

In laboratory

In hospital ward

In emergency room (department)

In primary care/ general practice

Outpatient clinic

Other location (please specifiy)

Question Title

* 4. If PCOT are not performed in the laboratory but at other locations, are the samples re-tested later in the laboratory?

Yes, samples are re-tested in the laboratory

No, samples are not re-tested

No, samples are not re-tested but PCOT is done by laboratory staff only

POCT is done in laboratory only, no other locations

Question Title

* 5. Who is authorised to perform POCT in your institution? Multiple answers possible.

Laboratory trained staff

Nurses

3rd Sector - voluntary workers

Doctors

Other healthcare workers

Other non-healthcare workers (please specify)

Question Title

* 6. What specimen type is tested by POCT in your institution? Multiple answers possible.

Nasopharyngeal swab

Nasopharyngeal/nasal aspirate

Nasopharyngeal/nasal wash

Combined nasal and throat swab

Superficial nasal swab

Combined nasal and throat swab

Other specimen type (please specify)

Question Title

* 7. What pathogens are detected in POCT in your organisation?

POCT for both Influenza A and B

POCT for RSV

POCT for influenza A, B and RSV

Broad Panel of pathogens, including Influenza A, Influenza B, Respirtory Syncytial virus. human metapneumovirus, Parainfluenza viruses, rhinovirus, Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Bordetella pertussis

Different panel option (please specify)

Question Title

* 8. State the manufacturer(s) that provide your POCT system. Multiple answers possible.

Alere Abbott

Biofire diagnostics

Biocartis

Cepheid

CerTest

GenMark

Quickvue

QiaStat

r-biopharm

Roche

Other manufacturers (please specify)

Question Title

* 9. What quality aspects are undertaken for POCT in your institution? Multiple answers possible

Local validation prior to use as POCT

Run external quality control panel

Run control samples at timepoints

Accrediation as part of lab scope with ISO 15189

Accreditation as POCT ISO 22870

Training recorded for all testers

Competency recorded for all testers

POCT team to support service

Other quality control (please specify)

Question Title

* 10. Is there a clear clinical protocol for use of POCT?

Yes

No protocol

Don't know

Question Title

* 11. Who get tested by POCT in your institution?

Acute respiratory presentation as emergency presentation

Acute respiratory presentation to intensive care

All acute respiratory presentations

Leave to clinical team to decide - no specific protocol

Please specify who gets tested - if none of the above

Question Title

* 12. What clinical decisions are based on POCT results in your institution?

Treatment - start oseltamivir if required

Hospital placement to prevent infection spread

Promote discharge from emergency presentation

Promote antibiotic stewardship - use appropriate antibiotics

Other use of POCT (please specify)

Question Title

* 13. How are results from POCT communicated?

Verbal report

Entered into patient notes

Linked via automatic download to Laboratory information managment system

Manual entry to laboratory information managment system

Other options to communicate results

Question Title

* 14. What value does POCT have in your institution?

Very popular with healthcare staff for patient managment

Helps infection control

Supports clinical pathway

Is something that has been done - but not planned to do next year

Supports decisions on length of stay

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 15. What gaps are there in use of POCT in your view?

Cost effectivness is not clear

Where best to place machines

Link to laboratory systems - end up with duplication

POCT protocols are not well followed by healthcare teams - how to improve

Performance of POCT compared to lab tests is not clear

How best to perform EQA and control of system

Other areas where need more data

Question Title

* 16. Contact details - these are optional (but needed if you wish to have results of this survey)

Name

Country

Email Address