A House United: Coexistence in Clinical Microbiology for Optimizing ID/AST Strategies

Clinical microbiology laboratories are under increasing pressure to deliver accurate, clinically meaningful antimicrobial susceptibility results while managing staffing constraints, rising test volumes, and ongoing demands for stewardship. Although many laboratories use a single automated ID/AST platform, variations in FDA cleared antimicrobial menus, performance characteristics, and reporting capabilities can create gaps that require additional offline testing—adding time, labor, and cost.
 
In this session, Dr. Margie Morgan, an experienced clinical microbiologist and laboratory leader, will discuss how implementing a coexistence strategy across multiple ID/AST systems can help laboratories enhance the completeness and reliability of their reporting. She will outline how coexistence can reduce reliance on supplemental methods, better support CLSI recommended testing and reporting practices, and provide more comprehensive susceptibility data for patient management.
 
Topics will include:
• Why coexistence can be beneficial: platform differences, antibiotic coverage, clinical needs, and stewardship priorities.
• The real cost of offline testing: labor, budget, turnaround time, and impact on patient management.
• Ensuring appropriate reporting: understanding FDA clearance, recognizing when confirmation is required, and avoiding “reporting straight from the instrument.”
• How a coexistence strategy can support accurate MIC reporting and reduce unnecessary testing burdens.
 
Join us to explore how a “House United” approach can strengthen laboratory performance and ensure the right data is delivered to the right patient at the right time.

Leaning Objectives:

• Describe CLSI recommended considerations for antimicrobial susceptibility testing and reporting, including when confirmation or supplemental methods are required.
• Identify how differences in FDA cleared antimicrobial menus across ID/AST systems influence reporting workflows and discuss strategies to ensure reliable, clinically appropriate susceptibility results.
• Evaluate how coexistence of multiple ID/AST systems can reduce offline testing, increase reporting completeness, and support laboratory workflow efficiency.

Labroots is approved as a provider of continuing education programs in the clinical laboratory sciences by the ASCLS P.A.C.E. ® Program. By attending this webinar, you can earn 1 Continuing Education credit once you have viewed the webinar in its entirety.

Please note - Continuing Education credits are only attainable for one year following the webinar broadcast date.