Clinical Microbiology and the COVID-19 Pandemic

Harnessing Data to Support Antimicrobial Stewardship

In this webinar, we will review the impact of COVID-19 on the microbiology laboratory, antimicrobial resistance, and the effective management of critically ill patients. 

The incidence of secondary bacterial infections during the COVID-19 pandemic has not mirrored that of past viral pandemics. This likely led to unnecessary antimicrobial usage, particularly at the onset of the pandemic. These treatment decisions are not aligned with the antibiotic stewardship goals and are associated with the risk of promoting bacterial resistance and the development of multi-drug resistance microorganisms (MDRO).

The clinical microbiology lab can effectively support antibiotic stewardship principles and programs with the appropriate use of diagnostic testing and timely, clinically-relevant reporting of susceptibility results to positively impact patient outcomes, resistance rates, and hospital costs.

Learning Objectives

This webinar will help you:

• Understand the impact clinical microbiology laboratory data can have on accurate treatment decisions and better management of critically ill patients
• Describe the impact COVID-19 has had on antimicrobial resistance
• Review antimicrobial testing challenges in critically ill patients
• Outline the role microbiology labs play to support antimicrobial stewardship during a pandemic

Watch on Demand       Download Slides (PDF, 1.3MB)

For research use only. Not for diagnostic procedures.

This webinar is produced by Whitehat Communications, a provider of continuing education programs in clinical laboratory sciences that has been approved by the ASCLS P.A.C.E.™ Program. One P.A.C.E. credit hour will be provided for this complimentary, basic-level program.

Romney M. Humphries, PhD, D(ABMM), M(ASCP)

Dr. Romney Humphries is a professor of pathology, microbiology, and immunology and the medical director of the Microbiology Laboratory at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She is a nationally recognized expert in antimicrobial susceptibility testing for antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Her focus areas include improving the speed and accuracy of identifying antibiotic-resistant bacteria infecting patients, investigating novel resistance mechanisms, and evaluating therapeutics designed to treat critical infections.