Advancing Bacterial Diagnostic Coverage, Reimbursement, and Utilization – Roundtable Takeaways

Project Report

Advancing Bacterial Diagnostic Coverage, Reimbursement, and Utilization – Roundtable Takeaways

Background

In the United States, 2.8 million drug-resistant infections occur each year and more than 35,000 people lose their lives as a result. Diagnostic tests help clinicians diagnose and manage patients with threatening drug-resistant infections, guiding appropriate antibiotic prescribing and improving patient care. However, adequate coverage and reimbursement is necessary to empower clinicians to provide the right test, for the right patient, at the right time.

 

Private Roundtable

The Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy hosted a private roundtable in June 2022 to research barriers that limit bacterial diagnostics’ coverage, reimbursement, and utilization, and to consider policy approaches to advance the role of bacterial diagnostics in patient care and among efforts to combat drug-resistant infections and antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

 

Funding Acknowledgement & Disclaimer

This project is supported by the Wellcome Trust. The opinions and conclusions expressed or implied are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by the Wellcome Trust.

Duke-Margolis Authors

Image of Nicholas Harrison

Nicholas R. Harrison, MPH, MA

Policy Research Associate