Grampians Health anticipates COVID-19 test reduces triage times

The Ballarat Base Hospital will be involved in a new study using what is described as "a new point-of-care testing solution".

The test would be used on people entering the emergency department seeking help for COVID-19 or influenza.

A point-of-care type test would be completed at the same location as the patient.

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The system was expected to be much quicker than testing for COVID-19 using a PCR test. By implementing a quick test option, Grampians Health workers anticipate triage times would be quicker.

It could also mean the ED is able to avoid the effects from "sporadic availability of rapid tests".

Grampians Health chief medical officer Matthew Hadfield said the hospital "recognised these obstacles" and looked forward to "empowering healthcare professionals to promptly assess and make informed decisions about patient care".

The trial is sponsored by DiaSorin, an Italian based biotechnology company, and would be run out of Grampians Health clinical trials unit led by infectious diseases specialist Dr Rob Commons.

"We are confident in the successful implementation and testing of this cutting-edge technology," Dr Commons said in a statement.

After the trial and regulatory approvals, the test is anticipated to "ensure the availability of beds within the ED".

Other efforts, including the implementation of the Windermere Street priority primary care centre, have been used to help ease the pressure on the ED.

However long wait times were still persisting.

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