ViroGates A/S : General Hospital of Nikaia Agios Panteleimon

suPAR News: Why did you become interested in suPAR?
Dr Tsiftsis: ED crowding is a global problem. After being introduced to suPAR, it immediately became clear that suPAR would add value to existing scorings scales and algorithms, which could help us triage patients quicker and safer.

suPAR News:What is your biggest hurdle at the ED?
Dr Tsiftsis: Emergency medicine and autonomous EDs are a new thing in Greece. There are many hurdles we must overcome in this startup phase. Staffing, mentality, and education are my top priorities for the department.

suPAR News:You see suPAR as a biomarker with colossal potential. How come?
Dr Tsiftsis: suPAR would be a great addition to our currently used routine biomarkers in the ED. Its prognostic value and high negative predictive value will help us in the decision to discharge a patient. It will be a huge benefit to send home more patients faster in a safe way.

suPAR News:How do you see suPAR can be used at your hospital?
Dr Tsiftsis: suPAR will help stratify patients in the grey zone and help us manage the patients that otherwise would be placed for observation for up to 48 hours.
suPAR could help us, as we need to stratify our patients. Currently, we have 120 patients for 90 beds. I am convinced that suPAR could help.

suPAR News:How will suPAR be implemented in clinical routine?
Dr Tsiftsis: As with all new things, we need to see the feasibility of such an implementation. Then we need to standardize a protocol for a select subgroup of patients. After evaluating suPAR, its true potential will be able to widen its applications.

suPAR News:What are your expectations of suPAR?
Dr Tsiftsis: I believe it can help us reduce the number of patients who today are admitted based on our current triage tools. If we could send home a few of the patients every day who are now admitted and who will be sent home within the first 48 hours, then the doctors will be happy, and our hospital saves a lot of money. But even more important, it could help us to not under-triage patients that do need admission and are sent home. I guess at the end of the day, with suPAR, we will be able to berry pick those patients who need a referral for observation and further investigation after they leave the ED.

suPAR News:Based on your experience, will you recommend other hospitals to use suPAR?
Dr Tsiftsis: I believe we need more data to recommend it widely. This data will start flowing as more ED implement suPAR in clinical decision making. I strongly believe that it will have a positive impact on the everyday workload of the ED.