Respiratory Outbreak Mitigation With Point-of-Care Testing in Long-Term Care: A Randomized Clinical Trial

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of on-site point-of-care respiratory multiplex polymerase chain reaction (POC-RMPCR) testing on respiratory infection outbreaks in nursing homes (NHs). The findings indicated that while the use of POC-RMPCR did not significantly alter the number or size of outbreaks, it led to a reduction in emergency department transfers and improved viral testing and treatment initiation for residents. The authors suggest that seasonal implementation of POC-RMPCR could enhance patient management in NHs.