The impact of rapid diagnostic testing, surveillance software, and clinical pharmacist staffing at a large Community Hospital in the Management of gram-negative bloodstream infections

Abstract Background Rapid Diagnostic Testing (RDT) combined with an Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (ASP) has shown improved outcomes in bloodstream infections (BSIs). We assessed the impact of RDT, surveillance software, and ASP pharmacist staffing on time to optimal therapy (TOT) in Gram-negative BSIs. Methods Adults with Gram-negative BSIs were included in this retrospective evaluation across two study periods. Results The pre-implementation group (n = 121) had longer TOT than the post-implementation group (n = 120) (59.6 ± 36.2 hours vs 29.0 ± 24.2 hours, p  Conclusion Implementation of RDT and surveillance software with an ASP decreased TOT for Gram-negative BSIs, including MDROs.