Point-of-care testing, antibiotic prescribing, and prescribing confidence for respiratory tract infections in primary care: a prospective audit in 18 European countries.
Alike W van der VeldenAlma C van de PolEmily BongardDaniela CianciRune AabenhusAnca BalanFemke BöhmerValerija Bralić LangPascale BrunoSlawomir ChlabiczSamuel CoenenAnnelies ColliersAna García-SangenísHrachuhi GhazaryanMaciej Godycki-ĆwirkoSiri JensenChristos LionisSanne R van der LindeLile MalaniaJozsef PauerAngela TomacinschiiAkke VellingaIhor ZastavnyySusanne EmmerichAdam ZerdaTheo Jm VerheijHerman GoossensChristopher C ButlerPublished in: BJGP open (2022)
Despite high confidence in decisions about antibiotic prescribing, there is considerable variation in the primary care of RTI in European countries, with GPs prescribing antibiotics overall more often than is considered appropriate. POC testing may enhance the quality of antibiotic prescribing decisions if it can safely reverse decisions confidently made on clinical grounds alone to prescribe antibiotics.