Impact of Rapid Flu Testing in BMC ED

Proposal to Evaluate the Impact of Point of Care Liat Influenza A/B Testing in the Emergency Department at Boston Medical Center

The purpose of the study is to compare Emergency Department patients who undergo influenza testing using an FDA-approved point-of-care device (Cobas Liat Influenza A/B assay) located in the ED, to patients whose samples are sent to the BMC central laboratory. Patients who agree to participate will have their samples randomly assigned to be tested on either at the core lab, or on the POC device. The current turnaround time for samples sent to the laboratory is approximately two hours; investigators expect that the point of care device can reduce this time. Investigators will determine if the time to disposition and the administration of antibiotics is different in the group undergoing POC influenza testing compared to those undergoing laboratory-based influenza testing

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adult patients 21 years of age or older
• Presenting to the BMC main ED or Urgent Care area with influenza-like illness
• Physician ordered an influenza A/B diagnostic test

Exclusion Criteria:

• Previously enrolled in the study
• Any Influenza test result already available at the time approached by the ED RA
• Physician ordered comprehensive multiplex PCR respiratory pathogen assay instead of an initial influenza A/B-only test.
• Unable to give informed consent