A Lab Manager’s Take on Rapid Syndromic Testing from BioFire

Dave Myers MT SM (ASCP) MBA is the Laboratory Manager in Akron, Ohio. He has seen firsthand how rapid results from the BioFire® FilmArray® System can empower physicians to make more informed treatment decisions when it comes to pediatric meningitis and respiratory illness.

“A Game-Changer”

Rapid syndromic testing can revolutionize an institution’s approach to infectious disease diagnostics, both at the clinical level and in the laboratory.

According to Myers, adding the BioFire System to his laboratory has “been a game-changer. Establishing accuracy and speed has been very important for us. It allows physicians to make a much more informed decision on what to do with a patient—whether to discharge them or admit them to the hospital.”

Managing Pediatric Meningitis Faster

Myers notes the “very positive” impact of the BioFire® FilmArray® Meningitis/Encephalitis Panel on pediatric patients—including young children with bacterial meningitis, a condition that can have devastating and lifelong consequences.

Thanks to the BioFire System, Myers describes how “a little girl with Neisseria meningitidis was put on the right antibiotic right away. She was discharged from the hospital three days later. When you can get that result quickly, as a laboratory professional you feel like you’ve done your job well that day. It’s a very rewarding experience.”

Respiratory Season—And Beyond

When it comes to respiratory season, Myers says the BioFire® FilmArray® Respiratory Panel offers “a broader spectrum of detection than anything we’ve had prior.” But the benefits of the panel aren’t limited to wintertime—in fact, Myers has seen “an awful lot of uses” for the comprehensive respiratory test all year long.

The BioFire FilmArray System is fast, comprehensive, and easy.

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