As the number of gastrointestinal pathogen panels (GPP) that are cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration continues to increase, laboratories are afforded excellent choice in sensitive and specific alternatives to culture. The improvements in sensitivity and turnaround over culture can result in more timely administration of appropriate care and can help to maximize antimicrobial stewardship efforts in the ambulatory environment. However, the benefits of molecular GPPs have been reported to come at a higher cost per test. The high cost per test and relatively low reimbursement for GPPs has limited their uptake in the ambulatory environment, while significant benefits have been reported for hospitalized and immunocompromised patients. This presentation will explore strategies to maximize the turnaround and sensitivity benefits of molecular GPPs over culture while avoiding the pitfalls of challenged reimbursement. This presentation will also explore the performance of one of the newest syndromic GPPs, the QIAstat-Dx Gastrointestinal Panel 2, based on data from a multi-center study.