Ten Clinical Pearls in Microbiology: How Effective Collaboration Optimizes Patient Care

John C Lam; Samuel Bourassa-Blanchette

doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2024.05.013

Ten Clinical Pearls in Microbiology: How Effective Collaboration Optimizes Patient Care

Am J Med. 2024 May 21:S0002-9343(24)00333-4. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2024.05.013. Online ahead of print.

Authors

John C Lam¹, Samuel Bourassa-Blanchette²

Affiliations

¹ Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States. Electronic address: johnlam@mednet.ucla.edu.
² Department of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada.

PMID: 38782247
DOI: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2024.05.013

Abstract

Medical microbiology laboratories play an essential role in patient care - appertaining to infectious diseases diagnostics and treatment, infection prevention, and antimicrobial stewardship. Collaboration between clinicians and the microbiology laboratory can promote and enhance the safety, quality, and efficiency of patient care. We review practical, evidence-informed core concepts to explicate how effective partnership between clinicians and the microbiology laboratory improves patient outcomes.

Keywords: clinical correlation; clinical microbiology; decision-making; diagnostics; infectious diseases; laboratory medicine; medical microbiology.

Publication types

Review