Mapping decision-making pathways: Determination of intervention entry points for diagnostic tests in suspected serious infection

Background PROTECT (Platform Randomised evaluation of clinical Outcomes using novel TEChnologies to optimise antimicrobial Therapy) has brought together a team of researchers to design a platform trial to rapidly evaluate and adopt into care multiple diagnostic technologies, bringing immediate benefit to patients. Rapid diagnostic tests will be used to identify patients at risk of deterioration from severe infection, before they become critically unwell. The platform will assess their comparative clinical and cost-effectiveness relative to current standard of care. Preliminary work, conducted under a Health Technology Assessment Application Acceleration Award, provided key evidence to optimise the design of the PROTECT platform. Methods Qualitative methods which involved consulting key stakeholders in the field of serious infection addressed the key priorities. A high-level care pathway analysis focusing on serious infection in secondary care, captured the points of contact, actions, decisions, and potential outcomes associated with a patient’s care. Results Two use cases of rapid diagnostic tests for serious infection were identified; (1) in acute emergency medicine to decide on antimicrobial initiation and/or escalation of care, and (2) in hospitalised patients to monitor treatment response. Within the emergency department, clinicians believed a test would be used as an adjunct to existing standard of care and would be used to either rule-in or rule-out serious infection. The “ideal” test should be rapid, point-of-care, cheap to procure, have capacity for high usability, and ability to be performed and interpreted by all staff. Facilitators to the adoption of infection diagnostic tests is their clinical need, and the main potential barrier is poor change management and behavioural change. Conclusions Any new test should provide robust evidence of its effectiveness and have the potential to benefit the clinical pathway for patients, clinicians, and hospitals as a whole, to be considered for adoption as a new standard of care.