Tools, Technologies and Training for Healthcare Laboratories

ICYMI: Theranos receives last minute transfusion

Posted by Sten Westgard, MS

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Remember in 2017 when there were predictions that Theranos wouldn't last out the year?

It appears reports of Theranos' death were greatly exaggerated... or maybe not

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Sigma-metrics in Korea PT

Posted by Sten Westgard, MS

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Budgets aren't the only things getting squeezed in the lab...

Posted by Sten Westgard, MS

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Westgard in the News: Advance for the Laboratory Manager, February Issue

Posted by Sten Westgard, MS

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Thank you, Haerbin!

Posted by Sten Westgard, MS

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Theranos Bleeds out...

Posted by Sten Westgard, MS

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The 2016 IQCP Poll!

Posted by Sten Westgard, MS

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Another thing about Theranos...

Posted by Sten Westgard, MS

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The news hasn't been getting any better over at Theranos. Since the Wall Street Journal pierced the facade on Theranos' promise of revolutionizing the lab test industry, there have been additional stories that Walgreens is seeking an exit from their partnership, that some of their premier clinical partners, Intermountain Healthcare and Cleveland Clinic, have not even started  work on any validation studies with Theranos technologies, and that Capital BlueCross has put a stop to Theranos blood-drawing at the insurer's retail store in Pennsylvania.

But that's nothing compared the release of the full, but redacted, CMS inspection report of Theranos' Newark, California laboratory.

Earlier, we had seen the top sheet of the report, noting five major violations that meant Theranos was putting its patients in "immediate jeopardy."

The full report, more than 121 pages long, is as bad an inspection report as I have ever seen. More explanation of this, after the jump...

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IQCP and ISO 15189: Incompatible or In sync?

Posted by Sten Westgard, MS

With sincere thanks to Carolyn Maurer, the Director of the CAP 15189 program.

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As the new IQCP regulations kick in, it's been interesting to see the international reaction to them.

I admit that I thought the IQCP impact would be contained within the US, that contagion would not spread to the international community. After all, IQCP is only a required option for labs within the US, and then only required for labs that seek to find a replacement to their now-outdated EQC policies. For labs that don't want to reduce their QC frequency below once a day, there's no need to create an IQCP at all.

But the situation appears to be more complicated. CAP, which has a significant international presence, is rolling out IQCP to all of its members, not just its US customers.

In light of that, I asked CAP how it balances the IQCP reduced QC frequency with the ISO 15189 standards. Their answers, after the jump...

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Thanks, NCCL!

Posted by Sten Westgard, MS

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AACC comments on Proposed New CLIA goals

Posted by Sten Westgard, MS

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Sigma Metrics ... Spotted in Chinese EQA Reports.

Posted by Sten Westgard, MS

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NY Times Editorial Focuses on Failures in Medical Device Regulation

A recent New York Times Sunday editorial focused on the deplorable state of medical device regulation. We simply can no longer trust FDA clearances, particularly 510ks:

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Six Sigma Metrics ... Surging in China

Posted by Sten Westgard, MS

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Losing ground on HbA1c

Posted by Sten Westgard, MS

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