b'Chapter 5 Leveraging syndromic testing to improve patient careAn interview with Jennifer Dien Bard, PhDSyndromic testing panels have become an important tool inHowever, just like in chemistry or any other clinical laboratory clinical testing and patient care. They allow clinical microbiologydiscipline, robust laboratory stewardship is essential. The overuse laboratories to quickly identify bacteria, viruses, fungi, andof these panels can lead to higher costs for healthcare systems parasites, which can help patients get the right treatmentand patients, and sometimes lead to confusing results when not quickly. These tests can also cut down on unnecessary antibioticcorrectly interpreted in the context of the patientor when used prescribing when it wont help patients and might contribute toon the wrong patient entirely.antibiotic resistance. Clinical Laboratory News spoke to Jennifer Dien Bard, PhD, These panels seek to balance the benefits and complexity of thedirector of the Clinical Microbiology and Virology Laboratory molecular diagnostics revolution in microbiology. While real-timeat Childrens Hospital Los Angeles and professor of pathology PCR targeting single-analyte or small panels offers exquisiteat Keck School of Medicine of USC about the future of speed and sensitivity compared to traditional culture, it still hassyndromic testing panels and how if implemented thoughtfully its limitations: the approach initially required clinicians to requestand interpreted carefully, they have the potential to improve which pathogens they were looking for, rather than only thepatient care [2].specimens origin [1]. Syndromic panels solve the tradeoff with aThis interview has been edited for space and clarity.preset list of organisms for molecular interrogation.17 Molecular testing thermofisher.com/infectiousdisease Contents'