What's New: December 2013

Posted by Sten Westgard, MS

Thinking Fast and Slow about Changing your QC

As 2013 draws to a close, we take some time to ponder one of the biggest changes in laboratory quality control (at least for the US): Risk QC.  Is Risk QC a quick and easy solution to all our problems? Not so fast...

What happens when "System 1" and "System 2" think about Risk QC?

Analytical and Field Evaluation of two POC lipid and glucose devices

An online first study evaluated the analytical and field performance of two Point-of-Care (POC) devices that measure lipids and glucose. If we use larger allowable error goals for glucose, can today's POC devices achieve that level of quality?

Do these POC devices have good glucose, lame lipids, or worse?
 

Q&A: How to interpret 2of3:2s when 6 controls are run?

It's a rare scenario, but picture this: controls are being run in duplicate at three different levels (low, middle, and high).
We know that the 2of3:2s rule is an adaptation of the 2:2s rule for situations like this, but how do you interpret this rule when there are 6 control measurements?

When there are 6 controls, does 2of3 become 4of6?
 

Total Protein Quality: Can any method hit the mark?

Continuing with our series examining quality requirements and goals and the performance of methods, we turn to total protein. We examine the different goals offered for total protein, and evaluate what current methods are capable of achieving.

Can any method hit the target for total protein?
 

Quality and Cost: Can one improve the other?

A recent study looked at the cost impacts of improving the quality of blood glucose meters. Does an investment in the quality of glucose measurements produce any downstream savings? Is that even a number we can track? 

Is your laboratory talking about taking the high quality road but actually slashing costs into a ditch?
 

Thank you all!


2013 was a fantastic year. We enjoyed meeting so many of you at conferences and workshops all over the world, interacting with you through webinars and email and even phone calls.

We look forward working with you even more next year.

[Photo credits: Thanks to the 2013 Lab Quality ConFab]