Trends
July 2004
As laboratory scientists, we're taught to connect the dots between control points to look for patterns in the data and underlying causes. As observers of world events, we can also connect the dots and study the patterns to understand the underlying causes. Those events can help us understand the difficulties and importance of quality control practices in the laboratory.
October 2004
Note: this is an essay that mixes politics with laboratory healthcare.
When quality problems at a Chiron plant mean that half our flu vaccine shots are contaminated, you know that Laboratory Medicine has become part of politics.What you may not know is that politics have very much affected Laboratory Medicine in return, and the results of the election may well determine the future of our profession.
The New York City Board of Health and Mental Hygiene has amended the city’s Health Code to require laboratories to report all hemoglobin Alc test results in order to monitor diabetic patients. Will monitoring approximately 100,000 results each month improve quality for anyone?
Are you ready for the latest lists for the laboratory? IQLM is preparing a list of Quality Indicators, as well as a list of things that physicians don't like about laboratorians, and a list of things that laboratorians don't like about physicians. In all of this "Top Tenning," is there anything useful?
April 2007
Dr. Westgard attended the recent CLSI workshop to learn about forthcoming standards on risk assessment, quality, and (E?)QC. It seems the rumors of the death of Options 1, 2, and 3 may have been exaggerated...