Description

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In this issue of Clinics in Laboratory Medicine, guest editors Drs. Jennifer Dien Bard and Esther Babady bring their considerable expertise to the topic of Diagnostics Stewardship in Molecular Microbiology: From At-Home Testing to Next Generation Sequencing. Molecular testing for infectious diseases diagnostics is quickly expanding beyond clinical microbiology laboratories, while higher complexity tests based on next generation sequencing are now available for infectious diseases diagnosis. Diagnostic stewardship, led by microbiology experts in collaboration with clinicians and other healthcare workers, is critical in ensuring responsible and judicious use of these tests. In this issue, top experts in the field address practical challenges and provide guidance for diagnostic stewardship of molecular infectious disease diagnostics tests, from point-of-care to next generation sequencing.

• Contains 10 relevant, practice-oriented topics including taking center stage: clinical laboratory leading diagnostic stewardship efforts; mapping out when and on whom high-dollar NGS tests should be ordered; working with LIS to maximize ordering and reporting of molecular microbiology results; present and future non-culture-based diagnostics: what are the potentials and considerations as it relates to stewardship and the role of the clinical microbiologist?; and more.
• Provides in-depth clinical reviews on diagnostics stewardship in molecular microbiology, offering actionable insights for clinical practice.
• Presents the latest information on this timely, focused topic under the leadership of experienced editors in the field. Authors synthesize and distill the latest research and practice guidelines to create clinically significant, topic-based reviews.