This practical, easy-to-use guide, named to Doody’s Core Titles 2013, addresses interference issues in all laboratory tests, including patient epigenetics, process of specimen collection, enzymes, biomarkers. Clinicians and laboratory scientists can therefore rely on one reference which speaks to both their needs of accurate specimen analysis and optimal patient care. Erroneous hospital and pathology laboratory results can be confusing and problematic, especially in acute care situations. While some factors creating interference, can be identified in the laboratory, detecting many others is often dependent on clinical details unavailable to the laboratory scientists or pathologists. Therefore, clinicians must become proficient in identifying such erroneous reports, and working with pathologists and laboratory scientists so that they can understand the source of such interferences, correct the results, and then decide what course of action must be followed for proper patient management. Named to Doody’s Core Titles 2013, a collection development tool for health sciences libraries of all sizes, by Doody Enterprises Practical information for both clinicians and laboratory scientists, presented in the form of tables and charts for easy reference Focus on range and sources of interferences rather than details of toxicologic mechanisms which are well covered in toxicology textbooks Covers interferences across endocrine, oncology, hematology, immunohistochemistry, immunology, serology, microbiology, and molecular testing

Accurate Results in the Clinical Laboratory: A Guide to Error Detection and Correction, Second Edition, provides a comprehensive review of the factors leading to errors in all areas of clinical laboratory testing. This trusted guide addresses interference issues in all laboratory tests, including patient epigenetics, processes of specimen collection, enzymes and biomarkers. Clinicians and laboratory scientists will both benefit from this reference that applies discussions to both accurate specimen analysis and optimal patient care. Hence, this is the perfect reference for clinical laboratorians, from trainees, to experienced pathologists and directors. Provides comprehensive coverage across endocrine, oncology, hematology, immunohistochemistry, immunology, serology, microbiology, and molecular testing Includes new case studies that highlight clinical relevance and errors to avoid Highlights the best titles published within a variety of medical specialties Reviewed by medical librarians and content specialists, with key selections compiled in their annual list

Clinical laboratory tests play an integral role in helping physicians diagnose and treat patients. New developments in laboratory technology offer the prospect of improvements in diagnosis and care, but will place an increased burden on the payment system. Medicare, the federal program providing coverage of health-care services for the elderly and disabled, is the largest payer of clinical laboratory services. Originally designed in the early 1980s, Medicare's payment policy methodology for outpatient laboratory services has not evolved to take into account technology, market, and regulatory changes, and is now outdated. This report examines the current Medicare payment methodology for outpatient clinical laboratory services in the context of environmental and technological trends, evaluates payment policy alternatives, and makes recommendations to improve the system.

The goal of clinical laboratories is to produce accurate information for clinical decision making in medicine. More than half of the medical decisions made depend on clinical laboratory tests. Patient safety represents an important and critical problem for laboratories. They need to assure that the information they deliver to physicians is accurate, and therefore safe for clinicians to use. Endogenous compounds can interfere with laboratory tests, decreasing accuracy and threatening patient safety. Elevated bilirubin (bilirubinemia) and elevated lipids (lipemia) are common conditions that cause significant interferences with laboratory results. Clinicians depend on laboratories to detect these endogenous interferences. Laboratories must have a means to detect these endogenous interferences, make decisions about reporting results, and evaluate their impact. Most clinical pathology books provide only an abbreviated introduction to the subject, or provide a long list of references, without the necessary foundation for evaluating their significance. Package inserts typically provide scant information. This book provides the empirical and theoretical foundation for these interferences, describes the clinical settings where they occur, and explains their evaluation and detection, allowing the laboratory to interpret the available data on interferences and make the appropriate decision to effectively report test results while protecting patient safety.

Mass Spectrometry for the Clinical Laboratory is an accessible guide to mass spectrometry and the development, validation, and implementation of the most common assays seen in clinical labs. It provides readers with practical examples for assay development, and experimental design for validation to meet CLIA requirements, appropriate interference testing, measuring, validation of ion suppression/matrix effects, and quality control. These tools offer guidance on what type of instrumentation is optimal for each assay, what options are available, and the pros and cons of each. Readers will find a full set of tools that are either directly related to the assay they want to adopt or for an analogous assay they could use as an example. Written by expert users of the most common assays found in a clinical laboratory (clinical chemists, toxicologists, and clinical pathologists practicing mass spectrometry), the book lays out how experts in the field have chosen their mass spectrometers, purchased, installed, validated, and brought them on line for routine testing. The early chapters of the book covers what the practitioners have learned from years of experience, the challenges they have faced, and their recommendations on how to build and validate assays to avoid problems. These chapters also include recommendations for maintaining continuity of quality in testing. The later parts of the book focuses on specific types of assays (therapeutic drugs, Vitamin D, hormones, etc.). Each chapter in this section has been written by an expert practitioner of an assay that is currently running in his or her clinical lab. Provides readers with the keys to choosing, installing, and validating a mass spectrometry platform Offers tools to evaluate, validate, and troubleshoot the most common assays seen in clinical pathology labs Explains validation, ion suppression, interference testing, and quality control design to the detail that is required for implementation in the lab

Implementing safety practices in healthcare saves lives and improves the quality of care: it is therefore vital to apply good clinical practices, such as the WHO surgical checklist, to adopt the most appropriate measures for the prevention of assistance-related risks, and to identify the potential ones using tools such as reporting & learning systems. The culture of safety in the care environment and of human factors influencing it should be developed from the beginning of medical studies and in the first years of professional practice, in order to have the maximum impact on clinicians' and nurses' behavior. Medical errors tend to vary with the level of proficiency and experience, and this must be taken into account in adverse events prevention. Human factors assume a decisive importance in resilient organizations, and an understanding of risk control and containment is fundamental for all medical and surgical specialties. This open access book offers recommendations and examples of how to improve patient safety by changing practices, introducing organizational and technological innovations, and creating effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient, and equitable care systems, in order to spread the quality and patient safety culture among the new generation of healthcare professionals, and is intended for residents and young professionals in different clinical specialties.

Updated and easy-to-use, Linne & Ringsrud's Clinical Laboratory Science: The Basics and Routine Techniques, 6th Edition delivers a fundamental overview of the laboratory skills and techniques essential for success in your classes and your career. Author Mary Louise Turgeon's simple, straightforward writing clarifies complex concepts, and a discipline-by-discipline approach helps you build the knowledge to confidently perform clinical laboratory tests and ensure accurate, effective results. Expert insight from respected educator and author Mary Louise Turgeon reflects the full spectrum of clinical laboratory science. Engaging full-color design and illustrations familiarize you with what you'll see under the microscope. Streamlined approach makes must-know concepts and practices more accessible. Broad scope provides an ideal introduction to clinical laboratory science at various levels, including MLS/MLT and Medical Assisting. Hands-on procedures guide you through the exact steps you'll perform in the lab. Learning objectives help you identify key chapter content and study more effectively. Case studies challenge you to apply concepts to realistic scenarios. Review questions at the end of each chapter help you assess your understanding and identify areas requiring additional study. A companion Evolve website provides convenient online access to procedures, glossary, audio glossary and links to additional information. Updated instrumentation coverage familiarizes you with the latest technological advancements in clinical laboratory science. Perforated pages make it easy for you to take procedure instructions with you into the lab. Enhanced organization helps you study more efficiently and quickly locate the information you need. Convenient glossary provides fast, easy access to definitions of key terms.