If BioSherpa™ STS is used on a pneumonia patient to facilitate a culture within 3 days of a patient starting antibiotic therapy, our data demonstrate an over 30% probability that a causative pathogen will be isolated compared to standard methods including classic loop culture, swab culture and automatic plating systems.

 

Financial Case for Biosherpa™ STS

The financial costs incurred by the inability to identify the causative pathogen:

  • The inability to make an exact diagnosis necessitates the use of non-specific diagnosis codes which yield lower reimbursements.

  • The use of multiple broad spectrum antibiotics for longer periods of time and longer hospital stays increase costs.

  • The greater probability of complications such as antibiotic resistance, secondary infections (i.e. C. difficile) or the spread of infections throughout the medical facility.

Problem solved:

  • BioSherpa™ STS can increase potential revenue by providing accurate culture results.  Accurate results lead to the use of specific codes which result in higher reimbursement rates and to the streamlining of antibiotic therapy which typically will reduce the cost to hospitals.

  • BioSherpa™ STS allows hospitals to increase Case Mix Index (CMI) by increasing the specificity of the pathogens isolated and allowing for compelling documentation of a sicker population.

  • BioSherpa™ STS allows hospitals to avoid Hospital Acquired Condition (HAC) penalties associated with nosocomial infections such as MRSA bacteremia and C. difficile.

  • BioSherpa™ STS can provide clinicians and healthcare organizations with faster and more accurate culture results.  This is especially helpful for observation patients where time to discharge can make the difference between a profitable patient or a financial loss. BioSherpa™ STS can differentiate any reference laboratory from other labs in the same market.

  • BioSherpa™ STS can enhance the laboratory/client relationship by indirectly improving reimbursement and compliance with clinical quality measures

  • BioSherpa™ STS can also directly benefit labs by developing barriers to exit in any given market through the above examples.