Total annual hospital costs could be reduced by rapid candidemia identification

A new study describes a model that estimates the economic consequences of using the T2Candida Panel (a novel diagnostic product that provides Candida detection) as an adjunct to the current blood culture-based diagnostic strategy in a high-risk hospital patient cohort. It estimates that a typical hospital could save as much as $5,858,448 in total annual hospital costs. The study was published online ahead of print in Future Microbiology.

Candida species are a lethal form of common bloodstream infections that cause sepsis. They are associated with high patient mortality and excess inpatient costs because growth-based detection of Candida can delay treatment decisions. Improvements in outcomes are dependent on early identification of candidemia and timely administration of appropriate antifungal therapy. The T2Candida Panel is the first diagnostic test to provide species-specific Candida detection and identification directly from whole blood in 3 to 5 hours, without the need for blood culture.

"We are greatly encouraged by the benefits these data show for the early detection of Candida with our T2Candida Panel," said John McDonough, chief executive officer of T2 Biosystems. "The findings from this study demonstrate not only significant reduction in hospital costs, but most importantly, the potential to save so many patient lives by providing faster diagnostic results—supporting our goal of changing the paradigm in sepsis diagnosis. We look forward to working closely with the medical community to help implement this important change."

Using a decision tree model, the economic effect of using this diagnostic strategy over 1 year in a hospital setting was calculated. It also calculated Candida-related deaths per hospital could be reduced by 60.6%.

"Hospitals need to reduce the burden of bloodstream infections that cause sepsis in high risk patients, such as those with compromised immune systems. This new and interesting study estimates that that use of this diagnostic test could not only reduce hospital costs, but also reduce mortality rates," said Natasha Leeson, Commissioning Editor of Future Microbiology.