• What current workflow is in place in your program, and are there aspects in place that will help you meet the new regulations?
• How do I review a transcript to determine if my 4-year RN meets the requirements to fill the TC role?
• Are you already seeing an impact on your Training and Competency workflow in your program?
• Will these new regulations help us hire more full-time employees in our POCT programs?​

The fight against emerging antimicrobial resistance relies in large part on the use of rapid and accurate detection methods. Molecular methods are inherently able to provide fast and accurate results but may come at greater cost-per-test compared to traditional methods. It is therefore incumbent upon those who promote the use of molecular methods to demonstrate their ability to improve patient outcomes and provide downstream economic savings.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a significant respiratory pathogen, and emerging macrolide (azithromycin) resistance poses a clinical challenge. This presentation will discuss the epidemiology of M. pneumoniae and the mechanisms of macrolide resistance. Current diagnostic methods will be reviewed, including use of real-time PCR for genotypic prediction of macrolide resistance and its role in directing antimicrobial therapy.

Gonorrhea is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotic therapy. Novel diagnostics that include markers for resistance can help guide therapy and facilitate treatment diversification. We will discuss the state-of-the art in resistance-guided therapy including FDA trials and assays in development.

• Sample preparation—is it needed?
• Selection of amplification versus amplification-free CRISPR methods
• Selection of the optimal Cas enzymes 
• Selection and evaluation of guide sequences​

• Met needs for syndromic panels
• Unmet needs for syndromic panels
• Challenges for industry to develop future syndromic panels
• Regulatory changes for future syndromic panels​

Syndromic panels have advanced healthcare delivery and efficiency. However, there is a need for novel syndromic panels to further advance medicine. This presentation will discuss novel syndromic panels including the role of fungal panels used to non-invasively diagnose patients with invasive fungal disease.

Nucleic acid-based testing offers high sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of a variety of diseases by Laboratories and now efficiently in Point-of Care settings. Innovative technologies continue to emerge including the use of CRISPR-based diagnostics. The developing power of CRISPR/Cas systems for these applications will be reviewed.

As digitization and automation continue to advance in microbiology, opportunities for the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are expanding. This session will provide an overview of machine learning concepts and commonly used terminology, equipping attendees with the foundational technological literacy needed to navigate this evolving field. Additionally, it will explore both established and emerging AI/ML-enabled technologies and devices relevant to clinical microbiology, along with future considerations for laboratory professionals.

Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) remains a cornerstone of infectious disease management, yet prolonged turnaround times of conventional AST methods can delay optimal treatment. This talk will explore novel strategies to accelerate AST, from low-cost enhancements that integrate into existing workflows within the laboratory, to cutting-edge next-generation sequencing-based methods. By adopting these innovations, laboratories may enhance diagnostic efficiency, which could help reduce time to optimal treatment and potentially improve patient outcomes.

In this session,  artificial intelligence (AI) will be defined, and current applications in the routine and molecular microbiology laboratory will be identifed. The use of AI and Machine Learning (ML) algorithms are now being considered for PCR data analysis. Emerging applications such as PCR.ai, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) AI tool, to analyze PCR data to improve quality and reduce hands-on-time will be demonstrated. Lastly, future applications of AI in areas such as prediction of antimicrobial resistance, diagnostic stewardship, and in clinical decision support, will be discussed.

Emergency departments (EDs) are the central diagnostic hub in providing acute, unscheduled, and emergency care. Diagnostic testing in the ED requires considerations for timeliness, sensitivity, workflow optimization, efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and value. Multimodal diagnostic testing can improve the efficient use of resources in EDs and acute care settings, including integration into existing workflows, allowing the clinical and laboratory teams to optimize result turnaround times for a range of test results that inform and positively impact patient care. Multimodal testing with high-sensitivity results can help guide decisions for initiating time-sensitive interventions and for clinical disposition such as hospitalization and care linkages.

Timely and accurate diagnostics are vital for receiving effective care, yet traditional lab testing often introduces delays in the process. This session will delve into how breakthroughs in biochemistry, robotics, and microfluidics are revolutionizing diagnostics, enabling faster, decentralized testing without sacrificing accuracy. This talk will share new insights on how rapid blood analysis is transforming clinical decision-making, improving patient outcomes, and streamlining healthcare delivery.

With rising healthcare costs and limited access to diagnostic testing, Fluxergy offers a novel solution. By leveraging multimodal technology with advanced manufacturing, we dramatically reduce point-of-care testing costs, making lab-quality diagnostics more accessible, especially in rural and underserved communities.This talk will explore how Fluxergy’s innovative manufacturing and platform lowers cost and enables affordable, decentralized testing in urgent cares, community health centers, free-standing emergency departments, and community hospitals. The result? Lower costs, better access, and improved patient outcomes.

Patients requiring rapid diagnosis often need a combination of molecular, chemistry, immunoassays, and coagulation testing, yet current diagnostic platforms rely on multiple single-function instruments. Digital microfluidics (DMF) enables multifunctional syndromic testing, integrating all major diagnostic modalities on a single system. We demonstrate example applications in sepsis (all modalities), trauma (chemistry, coagulation, and immunoassays), and hepatitis (molecular and chemistry), among others. Multifunctional testing eliminates delays, reduces sample burden, and lowers costs while improving clinical efficiency and maximizing diagnostic yield. Data demonstrating assays on DMF across modalities will be presented, highlighting its potential as the most adaptable platform for comprehensive, near-patient diagnostics.