What a PharmD report usually adds
A molecular panel result lists organisms and genes. A clinical pharmacist's interpretation turns that into options: which agents are reasonable, which are not, and for how long. When those arrive as two documents, from two senders, at two different times, the prescriber has to reconcile them.
What P.A.C.T. puts on one page
- Reason for test, written out. The submitted ICD-10 code printed with its plain-English meaning.
- Pathogens detected, at the top. Each organism with load band, copies per mL and Ct, plus resistance genes found.
- Pathogen summaries. A short note per organism, including when a detected organism is more likely a colonizer than the cause.
- Therapy by scenario. Options for each clinical scenario — from uncomplicated outpatient to systemic — with oral agents preferred where appropriate and a suggested duration.
- The complete antibiogram. Every agent graded per organism for this specimen and site.
- The molecular page. Ct, limit of detection and cycles above LOD for every target, mechanism labels for each gene, and every target tested but not detected.
The layout serves different readers: a primary care prescriber can act from page one; a wound or infectious disease specialist goes straight to the grid; the full record sits behind both.
Therapy options on the P.A.C.T. report are decision support. They do not replace clinical judgment, local antibiograms, or institutional guidelines. The treating clinician decides.
Organisms graded on the antibiogram
Resistance genes
Decision support only. The treating clinician decides. Molecular genotype does not replace phenotypic susceptibility testing, culture, or public-health reporting. Absence of a detected resistance gene does not establish susceptibility. Organism targets vary by panel; CORE-ABR is configured to the assay each laboratory runs.