Real-World Impact of a Rapid Pneumonia Panel

In patients presenting with pneumonia, rapid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) panels can provide accurate and specific microbiologic results much faster than conventional cultures do. Still, real-world evidence of improved clinical outcomes and more directed antibiotic choices in critically ill patients remains limited. This partially industry-funded, retrospective, before-and-after study evaluated nearly 12,000 intensive care unit (ICU) patients with pneumonia treated at 36 Veterans Health Administration hospitals, half of which implemented a rapid multiplex PCR panel (Figure 1).