2026/07/29 by Einar Nilsen
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Immunology and Microbiology · Medicine · #Antibiotic Use and Resistance #Bacterial Identification and Susceptibility Testing #Clinical Reasoning and Diagnostic Skills
paper · doi:10.1111/apm.70243
openalex publication_date 2026/07/29 · openalex created_date 2026/07/30 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
The clinical value of microbiological diagnostics depends on whether results are translated into bedside decisions. There are differing opinions and traditions around what role the physician microbiologist should have in this translation from laboratory results to treatment. We performed a cross-sectional questionnaire study among hospital clinicians in Møre and Romsdal Health Trust, Norway, to explore perceptions of microbiology-based decision support and the future role of physician clinical microbiologists. A total of 251 clinicians responded. Of these, 85.7% treated patients with suspected or confirmed infection more often than monthly. Among this key clinical subgroup, 90.7% considered microbiology decision support to be in the top two of five categories of usefulness; only 0.8% found it not useful. 94.9% found the advice professionally relevant, 95.8% found it easy to translate into action, 98.1% reported usually following recommendations, 88.8% reported that the support contributed to better antibiotic use, 87.0% to faster or safer clinical decisions, and 97.7% were positive toward an active clinical advisory role by physician clinical microbiologists. The findings support a clinically integrated model where clinical microbiologists contribute not only as laboratory specialists, but as decision-support partners in infection management.