What does a clinician expect from a microbiologist? Towards an effective joint policy.

What a clinician needs from a microbiologist and microbiological service depends on the specialty. To provide a diagnosis of infection, the service should organize and also follow-up the specimen transport, microbiological examination and antimicrobial susceptibility testing together with antigen detection and other modern test technology. A manual describing the local service and including guidelines should be placed in every department. At the same time a clinician should be familiar with clinical syndromes and causative micro-organisms, in order to be able to ask for the correct investigation. Only with continuous interchange of information by both parties is an effective joint policy possible in daily routine work.