As of today, September 4, 2018, a new laboratory protocol will be in place that will decrease the time to report positive identifications and susceptibility testing for most positive cultures as follows:

[1] When an initial blood culture is positive the ordering physician will be called per current protocol.  For most pathogens, this call will now include an identification as well as Gram stain and an indication as to whether the culture is mono- or polymicrobial.

For contaminants and less-common pathogens, identification will be issued in most cases around 6 hours later.  For common pathogens, susceptibility testing will be complete within 6 hours as well.

This protocol will be faster than prior practice by about 40 hours.

[2] The antimicrobial stewardship team will be engaged to provide recommendations for patient management utilizing this data, from 0800-1700 on weekdays.  A courtesy call that rapid susceptibilities are available (at about 6 hours in most cases) will be made to the floor at all hours.

[3] We continue to encourage attention to prevention of contamination as well as collection of an adequate culture (3 sets of bottles in adults; and following the protocol in Epic for pediatric patients) as this protocol depends on generation of positive blood cultures.

Questions concerning this broadcast can be directed to Bradley Ford, MD, PhD, Medical Director of Microbiology; (ext. 6-2990, bradley-ford@uiowa.edu).

Questions regarding the role of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program’s intervention can be directed to Dilek Ince, Director of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program, dilek-ince@uiowa.edu; pager 3672.