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Texas Children's Hospital Emergency Department Study
Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TXDr. Charles Macias, Professor of Pediatrics and Emergency Department Research Director - Investigator
Sepsis/meningitis is a serious concern in children coming to the emergency room with fever and respiratory symptoms. The standard protocol for these children is invasive and often painful tests, followed by admission to the hospital with intravenous antibiotics until definitive lab results confirm or rule out sepsis/meningitis. This study sought to discover if early, rapid diagnosis of influenza would eliminate unnecessary tests and decrease the patient's time in the emergency room.
Study Parameters:A retrospective chart study of infants and children seen in the ED between December 1, 1998 and February 28, 1999 with confirmed influenza was designed to determine the financial and time savings that could have been expected had a rapid influenza diagnostic been used. During the time frame reviewed, there were 3,608 infants and children under 36 months of age that presented to the ED with fever. The flu incidence in these patients was 28%, with 33% eventually placed on antibiotics, and 10% admitted. Diagnosis of influenza was confirmed by viral culture just over 300 times.
Results:
The theoretical model used in this study determined that there would be a minimum financial savings of 11-17% and a 38.5% savings in time (2.5 hrs) if a rapid diagnosis were made using the ZstatFlu test upon presentation to the ED. The study also relieved a significant clinical concern of the possibility of the co-existence of influenza and a serious bacterial infection. There were no serious bacterial infections present in the study group of patients who had their influenza diagnosis confirmed by a positive viral culture.
Conclusions:
The Baylor College of Medicine retrospective study corroborates the theory that the early utilization of a rapid influenza diagnostic test, capable of accurately detecting influenza A and B, improves care and decreases costs. Costs are reduced through the decrease in laboratory testing and improvements in emergency room efficiency, including a reduction in patient waiting time.
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