Implementation of large-scale laboratory-based detection of COVID-19 in the Veterans Health Administration, March 2020 – February 2021

Aditya Sharma; Gina Oda; Michael Icardi; Larry Mole; Mark Holodniy

doi:10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2021.115617

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Implementation of large-scale laboratory-based detection of COVID-19 in the Veterans Health Administration, March 2020 – February 2021

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Implementation of large-scale laboratory-based detection of COVID-19 in the Veterans Health Administration, March 2020 – February 2021

Aditya Sharma, Gina Oda, Michael Icardi, Larry Mole and Mark Holodniy

Diagnostic microbiology and infectious disease, Vol.102(3), pp.115617-115617

03/2022

DOI: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2021.115617

PMCID: PMC8665666

PMID: 35007825

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Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) presented numerous operational challenges to healthcare delivery networks responsible for implementing large scale detection of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), the infection caused by SARS-CoV-2. We describe testing performance, review data quality metrics, and summarize experiences during the scale up of laboratory-based detection of COVID-19 in the Veterans Health Administration, the largest healthcare system in the United States. During March 2020 to February 2021, we observed rapid increase in testing volume, decreases in test turnaround time, improvements in testing of hospitalized persons, changes in test positivity, and varying utilization of different tests. Though performance metrics improved over time, surges challenged testing capacity and data quality remained suboptimal. Future planning efforts should focus on fortifying supply chains for consumables and equipment repair, optimizing distribution of testing workload across laboratories, and improving informatics to accurately monitor operations and intent for testing during a public health emergency.

COVID-19

Laboratory performance

Surveillance

Details

Title: Subtitle: Implementation of large-scale laboratory-based detection of COVID-19 in the Veterans Health Administration, March 2020 – February 2021
Creators: Aditya Sharma - University of Virginia
Gina Oda - US Department of Veterans Affairs, Public Health Surveillance and Research, Palo Alto, CA, USA
Michael Icardi - University of Iowa, Pathology
Larry Mole - US Department of Veterans Affairs, Population Health Services, Washington, DC, USA
Mark Holodniy - US Department of Veterans Affairs, Public Health Surveillance and Research, Palo Alto, CA, USA
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Diagnostic microbiology and infectious disease, Vol.102(3), pp.115617-115617
DOI: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2021.115617
PMID: 35007825
PMCID: PMC8665666
NLM abbreviation: Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis
ISSN: 0732-8893
eISSN: 1879-0070
Publisher: Elsevier Inc
Language: English
Date published: 03/2022
Academic Unit: Pathology
Record Identifier: 9984215344902771

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