South West England, United Kingdom
#00278
Implements
#00375 Combine rapid diagnostics with prescribing decision support
Implementer
Sixteen general practices and University of Bristol research partners
Location
Description
A randomized trial across 16 general practices in southwest England tested whether rapid multiplex microbiological point-of-care testing would reduce same-day antibiotic prescribing for children and adults with respiratory infections when clinicians believed antibiotics might be needed. Among 552 participants, the test did not reduce same-day antibiotic prescribing compared with usual care, demonstrating that diagnostic technology alone—without a broader behaviour-change and stewardship package—is insufficient to change prescribing behaviour.
Metrics
2Lessons learned
- Diagnostic information alone did not override clinicians' prior intention to prescribe; the test result was treated as additional information rather than a decision trigger.
- Future deployments should pair rapid testing with explicit decision thresholds, clinician training, and prescribing feedback loops to achieve stewardship goals.