Effective Monday, Sept. 9, Norton Healthcare replaced the algorithm for C. difficile testing with a new approach designed to provide clinicians greater clarity regarding the significance of a positive result.
The new algorithm will begin with a PCR test, which will determine if C. difficile organism is present.
If that is positive, a second test will be performed to detect free toxin. The presence of free toxin has been shown to be correlated most closely with true C. difficile infection as opposed to asymptomatic colonization with C. difficile.
