Introduction of respiratory viruses point of care testing at multi-site front-door admission wards

Background During the COVID-19 Pandemic, we introduced rapid point of care testing (POCT) multiplex PCR assay for SARS–CoV-2 and Influenza A/B viruses at four front-door admission sites. Aim The aim was providing timely diagnosis of respiratory infections, help inform clinical decision-making and potentially support patient flow and reduce the risk of hospital acquired infections. We also investigated the impact on laboratory testing demand as a proxy for workload and the propriety of POCT use by ward staff. Method Respiratory samples tested by the laboratory or by POCT between January 2022 till June 2024 were retrospectively analysed to assess testing demand, rate of positivity, Turnaround time (TAT) and staff competency in the use of POCT. Results Of the total 42073 respiratory samples received 54% (22664 samples) were tested by virology laboratory and 46% (19409 samples) by POCT. Among adult group, 44% of positive Influenza A and 63% of positive SARS-CoV-2 were above 65Y age. In paediatrics group, 69% of Influenza A positive samples and 72% of SARS-CoV-2 were in 0–4Y age group. Of POCT only 4.3% was invalid suggesting acceptable operational performance in routine use. There was a statistically significant reduction in time to result for POCT (approximately 20 minutes; p<0.05) compared with laboratory testing for Influenza A/B (1319 minutes) and SARS-CoV-2 (418 minutes) reflecting more rapid availability of results for clinical decision-making Conclusion/Discussion Introduction of rapid POCT at front-door admission was associated with a reduction in laboratory testing volume and shorter analytical turnaround time, which may support timely clinical management.