Accelerating Results

The Accelerate Pheno® system streamlines blood culture testing by reducing the time from positive culture to reporting of organism identification and susceptibility versus traditional blood culture techniques. This innovative technology significantly reduces wait times by removing the need for overnight culture growth prior to testing and getting reports to doctors 24hrs to 48hrs sooner.

With patient care as our foremost priority, St. Clair Health has adopted this system in its laboratory to ensure the best possible care and outcomes for our patients. Amy Helfrich, ASCP, Microbiology Section Supervisor at St. Clair, collaborates closely with this system on a daily basis. “Working alongside our pharmacy and infectious diseases departments, we carefully configured the new testing and workflow to ensure optimal outcomes for our patients,” says Amy. Each department plays a significant role, from sample reception and testing to treatment, with safety being our primary concern.

The system follows a proprietary process of sample preparation, detection, identification, and treatment to produce these rapid results.

Timely and accurate organism sample results are essential for providers to choose the most suitable treatment to destroy the growth of harmful bacteria, particularly for septic patients. Additionally, they aid in minimizing the risk of bacterial transmission and the occurrence of outbreaks caused by bacterial spread.

“The Pheno system facilitates the swift diagnosis of bacteria in patients with positive blood cultures. With its rapid turnaround time, the system identifies the organism in approximately 90 minutes and provides antibiotic susceptibility information within about seven hours, enabling healthcare providers to determine the most effective antibiotics for patient care. Compared to traditional testing systems, the Pheno system can provide physicians with results up to 48 hours earlier,” explains Amy.

St. Clair Health is committed to staying ahead of the curve by embracing cutting-edge technology to better serve our community. Our focus is not only on reducing wait times but also on enhancing efficiency and minimizing human error. Since its implementation in January 2024, the Pheno System has played a crucial role in supporting our staff and patients, ensuring the delivery of high-quality healthcare services.