Impact of rapid Cepheid Xpert Xpress severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing in Detroit Medical Center hospitals during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

In March 2020, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic raged, and samples from the Detroit Medical Center (DMC) were sent offsite for testing. From April 3, 2020, DMC laboratories ran rapid Cepheid Xpert Xpress severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests within hospital labs. We detected differences in length of stay (LOS) and antibiotic duration between positive results from offsite and in-house tests.