TY - JOUR
T1 - A Telemedicine-Guided Self-Collection Approach for PCR-Based SARS-CoV-2 Testing
T2 - Comparative Study
AU - Würstle, Silvia
AU - Erber, Johanna
AU - Hanselmann, Michael
AU - Hoffmann, Dieter
AU - Werfel, Stanislas
AU - Hering, Svenja
AU - Weidlich, Simon
AU - Schneider, Jochen
AU - Franke, Ralf
AU - Maier, Michael
AU - Henkel, Andreas G.
AU - Schmid, Roland M.
AU - Protzer, Ulrike
AU - Laxy, Michael
AU - Spinner, Christoph D.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Silvia Würstle, Johanna Erber, Michael Hanselmann, Dieter Hoffmann, Stanislas Werfel, Svenja Hering, Simon Weidlich, Jochen Schneider, Ralf Franke, Michael Maier, Andreas G Henkel, Roland M Schmid, Ulrike Protzer, Michael Laxy, Christoph D Spinner. Originally published in JMIR Formative Research (https://formative.jmir.org), 04.01.2022. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work, first published in JMIR Formative Research, is properly cited. The complete bibliographic information, a link to the original publication on https://formative.jmir.org, as well as this copyright and license information must be included.
PY - 2022/1
Y1 - 2022/1
N2 - Background: Large-scale, polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based SARS-CoV-2 testing is expensive, resource intensive, and time consuming. A self-collection approach is a probable alternative; however, its feasibility, cost, and ability to prevent infections need to be evaluated. Objective: This study aims to compare an innovative self-collection approach with a regular SARS-CoV-2 testing strategy in a large European industrial manufacturing site. Methods: The feasibility of a telemedicine-guided PCR-based self-collection approach was assessed for 150 employees (intervention group) and compared with a regular SARS-CoV-2 testing approach used for 143 employees (control group). Acceptance, ergonomics, and efficacy were evaluated using a software application. A simulation model was implemented to evaluate the effectiveness. An interactive R shiny app was created to enable customized simulations. Results: The test results were successfully communicated to and interpreted without uncertainty by 76% (114/150) and 76.9% (110/143) of the participants in the intervention and control groups, respectively (P=.96). The ratings for acceptability, ergonomics, and efficacy among intervention group participants were noninferior when compared to those among control group participants (acceptability: 71.6% vs 37.6%; ergonomics: 88.1% vs 74.5%; efficacy: 86.4% vs 77.5%). The self-collection approach was found to be less time consuming (23 min vs 38 min; P<.001). The simulation model indicated that both testing approaches reduce the risk of infection, and the self-collection approach tends to be slightly less effective owing to its lower sensitivity. Conclusions: The self-collection approach for SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis was found to be technically feasible and well rated in terms of acceptance, ergonomics, and efficacy. The simulation model facilitates the evaluation of test effectiveness; nonetheless, considering context specificity, appropriate adaptation by companies is required.
AB - Background: Large-scale, polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based SARS-CoV-2 testing is expensive, resource intensive, and time consuming. A self-collection approach is a probable alternative; however, its feasibility, cost, and ability to prevent infections need to be evaluated. Objective: This study aims to compare an innovative self-collection approach with a regular SARS-CoV-2 testing strategy in a large European industrial manufacturing site. Methods: The feasibility of a telemedicine-guided PCR-based self-collection approach was assessed for 150 employees (intervention group) and compared with a regular SARS-CoV-2 testing approach used for 143 employees (control group). Acceptance, ergonomics, and efficacy were evaluated using a software application. A simulation model was implemented to evaluate the effectiveness. An interactive R shiny app was created to enable customized simulations. Results: The test results were successfully communicated to and interpreted without uncertainty by 76% (114/150) and 76.9% (110/143) of the participants in the intervention and control groups, respectively (P=.96). The ratings for acceptability, ergonomics, and efficacy among intervention group participants were noninferior when compared to those among control group participants (acceptability: 71.6% vs 37.6%; ergonomics: 88.1% vs 74.5%; efficacy: 86.4% vs 77.5%). The self-collection approach was found to be less time consuming (23 min vs 38 min; P<.001). The simulation model indicated that both testing approaches reduce the risk of infection, and the self-collection approach tends to be slightly less effective owing to its lower sensitivity. Conclusions: The self-collection approach for SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis was found to be technically feasible and well rated in terms of acceptance, ergonomics, and efficacy. The simulation model facilitates the evaluation of test effectiveness; nonetheless, considering context specificity, appropriate adaptation by companies is required.
KW - COVID-19
KW - SARS-CoV-2
KW - Self-sampling
KW - Simulation model
KW - Telemedicine
KW - Test strategy effectiveness
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85123011204&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2196/32564
DO - 10.2196/32564
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85123011204
SN - 2561-326X
VL - 6
JO - JMIR Formative Research
JF - JMIR Formative Research
IS - 1
M1 - e32564
ER -