Implementation of pan-enteric PCR screening at a UK general district hospital – benefits, pitfalls and lessons learnt
Implementation of pan-enteric PCR screening at a UK general district hospital – benefits, pitfalls and lessons learnt
Presented by Elisabetta Savanco
Senior Biomedical Scientist in Medical Microbiology at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Gastroenteritis is a significant socioeconomic burden. It is crucial to identify or exclude infectious causes of gastroenteritis, as this informs treatment strategies and allow for effective management of hospital and public health resources.
Laboratories can play a key role in the diagnosis of infectious gastroenteritis, but traditional diagnostic testing for GI pathogens is notoriously inefficient. Blackpool Hospital has implemented pan-enteric PCR screening of all in-patient and community faecal samples, to improve management of GI infections.
This presentation will discuss the proven benefits of this change – such as improved outbreak management in hospital and care homes, better and quicker detection of notifiable diseases in the community, more efficient management of GI-related admissions and diagnosis of uncommon GI infections preventing their mismanagement – but also describe the pitfalls of pan-enteric PCR and the challenges of adapting infection prevention policies and patient pathways to maximise potential of this new testing strategy.
Presented by Elisabetta Savanco
Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Elisabetta Savanco is an HCPC registered Senior Biomedical Scientist specialising in Medical Microbiology. Working in a general district hospital, her work focuses on tailoring diagnostic microbiology strategies to the needs of the local population.
Over the last 10 years, she has headed numerous service development initiatives, all aimed at reducing turnaround of microbiology investigations to optimise patient flows in the hospital setting.
In collaboration with local Gastroenterology services and the UK Health Security Agency, her recent efforts have focused on improving diagnosis and surveillance of gastrointestinal infections, through the introduction of enteric PCR screening for both primary and secondary care.