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Two Hours Saved, Antibiotics Reduced: The Strong Case for a Novel Rapid Multiplex PCR in the ED

By the bioMérieux Editors | Reading time: 2 min

PUBLICATION DATE: November 13, 2025

Inappropriate antibiotic prescribing occurs in over 30% of acute respiratory illness (ARI) cases where antibiotics are not indicated, contributing significantly to antimicrobial resistance (AMR), healthcare costs, and adverse patient outcomes.

A multiplex diagnostic test that is conducted at the point of care (POC) and delivers results rapidly may address these limitations by providing actionable results in the clinical decision-making window.

The Academic Emergency Medicine journal has published a study that investigates the effectiveness of a rapid (approximately 15–minute turnaround) 15-plex PCR respiratory panel in emergency department (ED) patients with suspected ARI. Below we summarize the key findings.

Key Takeaways1

  • Not all multiplex PCR tests are the same, particularly for the ED, where speed, expansiveness in targets, and CLIA status are scrutinized. “FLUVID” and other smaller panels (3 or 4 targets) are not designed to detect important targets that have patient and therapy management implications.2
  • The study’s specific rapid, multiplex PCR test was associated with reduced antibiotic prescribing, specifically among patients with viral detections compared to those with no targets detected (6.5% vs 20.2%). Also noted within the study is an over 2-hour reduction in ED length of stay (LoS), high clinician confidence, and high patient satisfaction.
  • Among surveyed clinicians, over 75% reported feeling “confident” or “extremely confident” in their diagnostic decision-making after receiving PCR results. These comprehensive and rapid results at the POC allow for quicker decision-making, which potentially improves workflow and patient throughput.
  • Of the 92 patients who tested positive, a majority would not have had a positive detection on commonly used Flu A/B & RSV (3-plex) or Flu A/B, RSV, SARS-CoV-2 (4-plex) front line tests. Four of these patients were found to have bacterial detections.
  • 9 out of 10 patients reported high satisfaction with the timelines of results and roughly two thirds of patients felt confident in their understanding of the diagnosis. Such patient-centered outcomes are increasingly recognized as critical metrics of quality in healthcare delivery.
  • Integration of rapid multiplex testing into routine ED workflows could thus serve as a strategic measure to enhance patient experience and diagnostic clarity in acute care settings.

Read the full Academic Emergency Medicine article here. 

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Why BIOFIRE® SPOTFIRE®?

The BIOFIRE® SPOTFIRE® Respiratory/Sore Throat (R/ST) Panels bring PCR diagnostics closer to the patient. The CLIA-waived panels offer the flexibility to choose either respiratory and sore throat testing based on the patient’s signs and symptoms—all in one rapid test. The panels’ versatility, speed, accuracy, and comprehensiveness are designed to empower clinicians to provide patient results during their visit.

References

  1. AC Meltzer, et al. Point-Of-Care Respiratory Diagnosis and Antibiotic Utilization in the Emergency Department: A Prospective Evaluation of Multiplex PCR. Academic Emergency Medicine (2025): 1–6, https://doi.org/10.1111/acem.70156.
  2. “FLUVID”: COVID-19, Influenza A/B, and RSV Virus detection by PCR - St. Joseph Hospital.

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