Rapid Diagnostics for Respiratory Illnesses Protect Patients and Strengthen Community Health

A sore throat. A stuffy nose. A mild fever. All of these symptoms could be caused by one of many viral or bacterial infections, such as strep throat, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and COVID-19. While different infections can be behind each patient’s illness, it is also important to remember each patient can experience symptoms of a respiratory illness differently based on several factors, and not all patients will exhibit “textbook” symptoms.

As respiratory illnesses rise in the colder months, it’s essential for clinicians to provide patients with the care they need and help them take the necessary precautions to keep themselves and their communities safe.Additionally, when facing a respiratory illness, many patients now choose to seek care at an urgent care facility over their primary care or local emergency department. Rapid and accurate diagnostics can provide clinicians, especially urgent care clinicians, with the information they need to manage care effectively.

Improving Patient Care

Most importantly, rapid diagnostics may help identify the specific cause of a patient’s symptoms, enabling them to receive the most effective care as soon as possible. This can mean getting the right antibiotic or antiviral treatment, while avoiding unnecessary treatments.

Additionally, depending on how long a patient waits to seek care after the onset of symptoms, what may appear to be a mild cold could be the beginning of a more serious illness. For some diseases, symptoms may also present differently depending on age. RSV in adults often presents with cold-like symptoms, including fever and congestion. In babies, however, RSV may only cause symptoms like irritability, decreased activity and trouble breathing. By testing early and administering the right treatment promptly, clinicians can help patients avoid more severe symptoms or complications. For example, untreated strep throat can not only cause worse throat symptoms, such as peritonsillar abscesses, but it can also lead to a more serious condition, scarlet fever, that can affect heart and kidney function. It’s crucial to treat strep throat promptly to prevent further complications. 

Diagnostic tests that can deliver results in 20 minutes or faster are also critical to ensuring patients get the treatment they need. Especially in urgent care settings, being able to discuss diagnostic results and treatment options during a single visit can help avoid the need for follow-up appointments or delays in care.

Protecting Our Communities and Inspiring Confidence

In addition to providing patients with the right care, rapid and accurate diagnostics can help keep families, coworkers, schools, and communities safe from respiratory illness outbreaks. When symptoms are left untreated or aren’t treated with the most effective medicine, they can be spread to others, including people more vulnerable to severe illness, like young children, older adults, and people with compromised immune systems, like patients undergoing chemotherapy.Rapid diagnostics can help initiate discussions with patients about steps they can take to minimize the spread of illness, such as staying home from work or school, wearing a mask, and avoiding interaction with more vulnerable individuals until the illness has passed. 

Diagnostic test results can also help community leaders and health experts identify trends in respiratory illness incidence, enabling communities to be better prepared for outbreaks. Increases in positive diagnostic test results for a specific respiratory illness in a particular area can indicate an outbreak, so having access to that data is crucial in helping communities implement measures to reduce the spread of the illness. Rapid diagnostics are a vital tool in helping keep communities healthy, especially when respiratory illnesses are more prevalent.

Moreover, rapid diagnostics can enhance patients’ confidence in their care. By identifying the specific cause of illness and guiding timely treatment, patients are more likely to follow clinicians’ recommendations. When patients feel heard and receive care tailored to their concerns, they are more likely to trust the healthcare system.

As respiratory illnesses begin to rise, rapid and accurate diagnostics can help differentiate between illnesses with similar symptoms, enabling patients to receive the care they need. They can also help protect larger communities by treating symptoms and alerting people to recommended steps to prevent the spread of an illness. Clinicians must provide patients with appropriate care and guide them in taking the necessary precautions to protect themselves and their communities, particularly as respiratory illnesses increase during the autumn and winter months.