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

J S Hinson; R E Rothman; K Carroll; H H Mostafa; K Ghobadi; A Smith; D Martinez; K Shaw-Saliba; E Klein; S Levin

doi:10.1016/j.jhin.2020.09.035

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

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

Authors

J S Hinson¹, R E Rothman², K Carroll³, H H Mostafa³, K Ghobadi⁴, A Smith², D Martinez², K Shaw-Saliba², E Klein², S Levin²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Emergency Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA. Electronic address: hinson@jhmi.edu.
² Department of Emergency Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
³ Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
⁴ Department of Civil and Systems Engineering, Johns Hopkins University Whiting School of Engineering, Baltimore, MD, USA.

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.

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Aged
COVID-19 / diagnosis*
COVID-19 / prevention & control*
COVID-19 Nucleic Acid Testing / statistics & numerical data*
Emergency Service, Hospital / statistics & numerical data*
Female
Humans
Infection Control / methods*
Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional / prevention & control
Male
Middle Aged
Retrospective Studies
SARS-CoV-2 / genetics
Time Factors
Young Adult

Grants and funding

R18 HS026640/HS/AHRQ HHS/United States