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2024 JAN 27 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week -- New research on Oncology - Colon Cancer is the subject of a [...]

Objective: To assess the proficiency of commercial laboratories in analyzing lead in clinical blood samples from subjects without overt lead exposure. Design: We submitted masked duplicate blood lead specimens to 8 masked laboratories. Each laboratory received blood aliquots immediately following drawing (time 1) and 2 weeks later (time 2) from 7 human subjects and 3 bovine blood samples with known lead levels of 0.26, 0.57, and 0.79 [micro]mol/L (5.4, 11.8, and 16.4 [micro]g/dL). Of the 8 laboratories, 5 were commercial laboratories, 1 was a state laboratory, I was a research laboratory, and 1 was the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reference laboratory. Outcome Measures: Correlation coefficients were calculated, and differences within and between laboratories were assessed by analysis of variance. Results: Results were obtained for all specimens, with all the human subjects' overall mean lead levels being less than 0.48 [micro]mol/L ([is less than] 10 [micro]g/dL). Each laboratory reported all human blood specimens appropriately, as having lead levels less than 0.48 [micro]mol/L ([is less than] 10 [micro]g/dL) and within 0.14 [micro]mol/L (3 [micro]g/dL) of the overall mean for that subject. All internal reproducibilities were very high (range, 0.92-1.00) except for one (0.60), possibly lower because of 1 pair of specimens. Mean differences between blood samples analyzed at time 1 and time 2 ranged from - 1.4 to 1.2, with only 2 laboratories having significant differences (P [is less than] .01). Conclusions: Overall, there was strong reproducibility within and among laboratories, with no overall time trend or interlaboratory or intralaboratory variance. The storage conditions did not seem to affect the aggregate results. The data suggest that through implementation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Wisconsin Blood Lead Proficiency Testing Program, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Blood Lead Laboratory Reference System. and mandated federal and state proficiency programs, laboratories in this geographic region have improved their performance as compared with previous published studies and an unpublished study. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1998;152:548-553, Most clinical laboratories seem capable of accurately measuring lead levels in blood samples. Researchers sent 20 blood samples to eight clinical laboratories to be tested for lead. Five of the laboratories were commercial and one was the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's reference laboratory. The samples were from seven humans and also included three blood samples from cows with known levels of lead. All the laboratories reported similar blood lead levels. The human samples were drawn two weeks apart and the labs also reported consistent lead levels in these samples.

There are numerous factors that must be considered when selecting a referral laboratory. Selection criteria should consider service, quality and costs. When a referral laboratory is selected, it is important to remain aware of regulatory changes and keep the contracting specialist apprised of inadequacies in service and quality., Because contracting with a new referral lab can be quite costly, selecting the wrong facility due to an inadequate evaluation of its capabilities can be devastating. FACED WITH RISING costs [...]

The Medical Laboratory Observer's national survey has shown that doctors rated their laboratories' services as good to excellent based on overall quality, turnaround times and routine menus. The average clinician requested approximately eight profiles and 18 individual assays each day and 86% of them were routines. The regular day shift got the highest rating for overall quality of service and physician office laboratories have the fastest turnaround time on routines as compared to hospital and independent laboratories., We hope you agree it's nice to be appreciated. According to MLO's newest national survey on the clinician's view of the laboratory, doctors appreciate your efforts and use your services [...]

Objective: To determine the accuracy of microscopic examination of urine from patients with known renal disease, performed by community-based laboratories. Design: Twenty-six urine specimens from 7 children with Alport syndrome, lupus nephritis, and IgA nephropathy were simultaneously submitted to 4 investigative sites: 2 community-based medical laboratories (laboratories A and B), and the offices of 2 nephrologists (nephrologists C and D). Participants A, B, and C were unaware of the nature of this investigation and blinded to the diagnosis associated with each specimen. Results: Twenty-six specimens from 7 children were analyzed. Pathological casts were identified in the 26 submitted specimens in the following order: 1 (4%) by laboratory A, 2 (8%) by laboratory B, 20 (77%) by nephrologist C, and 26 (100%) by nephrologist D. Four-way and 3-way (A, B, C) comparisons using the [chi square] test are significant at the P, Some community-based medical laboratories may not be able to accurately diagnose the presence of disease in urine specimens. Researchers submitted 26 urine specimens from seven children with known kidney disease to two community-based medical laboratories and to two nephrologists. The children had Alport syndrome, lupus nephritis, and IgA nephropathy. The two laboratories were only able to diagnose three of the specimens; one nephrologist diagnosed 20 (77%) and the other diagnosed all 26 specimens correctly. Primary care doctors should be able to do their own microscopic urinalysis, in case they doubt a laboratory's result.

Site visits and well-planned specimen submissions provide insight into the operation of labs to which you're considering sending out tests. Regularly evaluate the labs you decide to use. When a [...]

The community-based comprehensive laboratory system offers definite advantages for patients, doctors and healthcare institutions as compared to the national commercial laboratory system. These benefits are exemplified by the experiences of the Regional Laboratory Alliance in Kansas City, KS. Reduction in cost and redundancy of procedures benefit the patient sector, while physicians gain the advantage of access to laboratory workers whom they personally know. The ultimate result of such a laboratory system is an excellent health care delivery that values human dignity., A promising future for anatomic and clinical pathology With the right partners and patient-focused values, community laboratory alliances can offer competitively priced lab services to major healthcare organizations. Find out [...]

A six-step process was implemented to evaluate outpatient medical laboratories. The image the laboratory wants to project was first determined and a form was developed to evaluate various aspects of the laboratory. Undercover customers were then selected and trained to evaluate the laboratory personnel, facilities and the service. Employees were informed of the program to give them the opportunity of recognizing the positive points of the laboratory and detect its flaws. The results of the evaluation were then collated and analyzed. Employees were also asked for suggestions regarding laboratory management., Wonder what goes on at your outpatient labs when you're not there? This clever adaptation from the retail world can help you ferret out foul play and affirm first-rate employees. [...]

When duplicate testing leads to different results You are walking down the hospital corridor to the coffee shop when you see a group of attending physicians standing in the hall. [...]

This survey of physicians feeling about laboratory services highlights their good feelings about basic services, but covers their feelings about reporting delays.

All U.S. health care facilities performing transfusions of blood or blood products are required to report any fatal transfusion reactions to the Food and Drug Administration. In a 1980 memorandum [...]

Judging from the ROEs, or lack of ROE, there were a lot of disappointed shareholders last year. If companies are judged by how well they employ their shareholders' money -- [...]

Around Christmastime at my granddaddy's house, we children would endlessly talk about what we wished Santa would bring. We studied the Sears catalog--better known as the Wish Book. We often [...]

AJT & Associates and research/engineering company SAIC unveiled their self-contained mobile isolation unit and medical lab. The Mobilis Systems units are designed to quarantine victims of such diseases as tuberculosis, [...]

BC Biomedical Laboratories tops the 50 Best Employers survey for the second year in a row. Details of employee benefits and other facilities provided by BC Biomedical Laboratories are illustrated.

Light the blue touch paper and retreat 5 metres. That's what we did when we published a series of papers suggesting that if everybody started taking a pill containing six [...]

The American Society of Internal Medicine (ASIM) claims that managed care organizations should allow doctors to conduct physician in-office laboratory testing instead of sending specimens to independent laboratories. Testing at physician office labs is less expensive, convenient and faster. The ASIM's views may be acted upon by the government as Pres. Bill Clinton and legislators are preparing for the next round of health reform measures in 1997., The leading professional society representing internists says managed care organizations (MCOs) should give patients better access to physician in-office lab testing, and is encouraging MCOs to negotiate with participating doctors [...]