Quality Requirements and Standards
In 2009, US laboratories were reporting surges in the number of vitamin D tests being ordered - increases of 50% to even 100%. But beyond the growth in testing and usage, what's the quality required by this type of testing?
In the March 2002 issue of Clin Chem, the NACB published a long paper about the use of laboratory tests for patients with diabetes. Dr. Westgard examines their "evidence-based" recommendations, and finds some poor Sigma values. (Preview)
In 2003, the premier scientific journals announced a new initiative called STARD (Standards for Reporting Diagnostic Accuracy) What does STARD mean for you? And what does it say about the data being reported in journals today? Dr. Westgard investigates. (Preview)
As we look at the quality of laboratory medicine, we need a demanding standard for judging the truth. See how some new tests (hs-CRP) and new recommendations (diabetes) fare when they're held up to the "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth" standard. (Preview)
Numerous CLSI committees are formulating the standards for "QC for the Future" right now. In light of recent evidence that analytical quality is not as good as most assumed, this is an open appeal to those decision-makers and deciders all across the country to remember that statistical QC is a critical tool for the laboratory.