Medical Laboratory Observer articles from January 2005

Medical Laboratory Observer archives from January 2005

You ain't just whistle-blowing Dixie.(Editorial)
January 1, 2005... For two months, MLO has focused on the complicated circumstances at a Maryland hospital lab where an injured med tech brought to official light major unfortunate aspects of her workplace. Kristin S. Turner's allegations have been disturbing on...

Low carbs, high hopes.(Readers respond)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2005... Just want to tell you how inspirational your recent editorial, "Eat your heart out, Sophia," [MLO, October 2003, p. 6] was to me. As a direct result of what you described and shared, I, too, decided that I fit the syndrome X profile. It caused...

Science, art, and DNA.(Readers respond)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2005... Reference your editorial in May 2004... "Hummin' to the DNA" [p. 4]... excellent editorial. As your piece intimates, there are many hidden (insofar as current human "analysis") "natural rhythms" that many living entities can... sense but...

Fabric of connectedness.(Readers respond)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2005... I was catching up on my reading at the NYS Department of Health and I came across the word 'quilt' in your editorial in the August [2004] issue. The title was "Join My New Cult" [p. 4], and it was about slowing down. You had time to start a...

Flu vaccine.(Global disease)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Flu vaccine. The U.S. supply of influenza vaccine for the 2005-2006 flu season could be in jeopardy because the British government has added another three months to its manufacturing ban on Chiron Corp. 's Liverpool-based Fluvirin plant....

Flu threat.(Global disease)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Flu threat. The World Health Organization (WHO) continues to sound the warning that the avian influenza strain H5N1, which has demonstrated both persistence and high virulence in Asian birds, other animals, and a limited number of humans, could...

Flu diagnosis.(Global disease)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Flu diagnosis. Researchers in Hong Kong and China have developed a rapid test for diagnosing avian influenza strain H5N1 in humans. Whereas previous tests for the virus sometimes required more than a week to produce results, the new test...

New COLA website.(News)(Center for On-Line Addiction)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... New COLA website. COLA recently launched its redesigned website--enhanced to allow greater user interaction. New features include an online accreditation application, a legislative and healthcare news section, and a more robust e-commerce...

Zero defects.(News)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Zero defects. The on-site laboratory at Crystal Run Healthcare's headquarters in Middletown, NY, has received COLA accreditation as a high-complexity laboratory with the "Zero Defects" distinction--a recognition granted to very few...

Antimicrobial susceptibility testing teleconference.(Education)
January 1, 2005... Antimicrobial susceptibility testing teleconference. The "What's New in the 2005 Standards for Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing?" teleconference will address the latest recommendations on this topic as set forth by the Clinical and...

Conferences.(The Observatory)(Calendar)
January 1, 2005... * March 5-8. "ThinkLab '05," this year's conference sponsored by the Clinical Laboratory Management Association (CLMA) and the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), will be held in Chicago. The conference, which features numerous...

The laboratory's role in assisted reproduction.(Cover Story)
January 1, 2005... CONTINUING EDUCATION [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] To earn CEUs, see test on page 16. LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1. Describe laboratory analyses for infertility diagnosis. 2. Define the steps involved in an assisted reproductive...

Access[R] reproductive assays: the ART of assisted reproduction.(technical information)
January 1, 2005... Introduction Infertility is a medical problem defined as the failure of a couple to conceive a child after one year of regular, unprotected sexual intercourse, or the inability to carry a pregnancy to live birth. Infertility affects about...

No mercy for MRSA: treatment alternatives to vancomycin and linezolid.(methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)
January 1, 2005... The prevalence of both community- and hospital-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has gone through the roof of our incubators. Some have speculated that the increase may be due to the inappropriate use of...

CLIA 2003's new concept: equivalent quality control.(Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments)
January 1, 2005... On Jan. 24, 2003, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the latest version of the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA), termed the "Final Rules." (1) In section [section]493.1256 of Subpart K, CMS quietly...

From lab tragedy to industry reaffirmation: a perilous journey.(Editorial)
January 1, 2005... Last month, MLO revealed the background of two unfortunate incidents in the State of Maryland in the recent past--one at Maryland General Hospital (MGH) and another at Reference Pathology Services (RPS). The repercussions put the spotlight on...

In the e-learning field with Bill Strelke of Knowledge Anywhere: promoting lab-tech careers will help maintain and energize the profession's work environment and assure that qualified technicians will continue to enter the profession.(executive snapshot)
January 1, 2005... Unique technique: Knowledge Anywhere understands the medical industry, and provides full service e-learning programs with custom solutions and company-specific content development. That translates into performance aids that help...

Medical-necessity determinations begin in the lab.(liability and the lab)
January 1, 2005... Q What role should the laboratory play in the determination of medical necessity? A Because all test orders eventually pass through it, the laboratory is in a unique position to contribute to the discussion of medical necessity, both from...

Is this stealing?(addressing management issues)
January 1, 2005... Q Our laboratory lounge is used by lab staff and pathologists who are not hospital employees. People sometimes leave their dirty dishes in the sink. One pathologist is angered by this practice, so he takes and locks those dishes in his office....

Saying "no" effectively.(addressing management issues)
January 1, 2005... Q How do you handle it when you are asked to take on more than you are comfortable doing? A It depends on who is asking you to do something! If you are good at what you do, you will be asked to do more of it. At some point, you must...

High iron saturation, normal ferritin.
January 1, 2005... Q What would cause a woman to have 100% iron saturation with a low normal ferritin? She was diagnosed with hemachromatosis 10 to 15 years ago and had numerous phlebotomies until her iron and ferritin were down in the normal range. (Ferritin was...

Culture after antibiotic.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Q Our physicians and nurses are adamant about obtaining culture specimens prior to administration of antibiotics. How long does it take from the time an antibiotic is started until the pathogen is altered? I am not asking about many hours or...

Checking for platelet-poor plasma.(answering your questions)
January 1, 2005... Q According to the NCCLS [now known as the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute, coagulation samples should be platelet-poor ( A The criteria for acceptable samples for coagulation testing include plasmas that are "platelet-poor" and...

Specimen-transport products and services.(product focus)
January 1, 2005... A specimen's journey from the site of collection to its final destination depends on appropriate sample containment, suitable packaging, and often time-sensitive delivery of delicate and valuable materials. Whether the sample is traveling to a...

In-line filters.(Industry spotlight)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... This series of large high-flow in-line filters for air, vacuum, or liquids is available with 1/4, 5/16, and 3/8 barbs; 10-32, 1/4-28, and 1/8 female threads; and 1/16 and 1/8 male threads. Filters come in 20, 65, 105, 150, and 250 microns in...

Fiberglass fume hoods.(Industry spotlight)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Featuring an automatic air by-pass system and an ergonomic air foil with airflow slots, this line of Protector Premier Laboratory Hoods creates a barrier of protection against contaminants by allowing clean air to flow continuously. The molded,...

Coagulation analyzer.(Industry spotlight)(ACL 8000)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... The ACL 8000 coagulation analyzer automates hemostatic-disorder monitoring with features such as parallel processing, clot curve analysis, and automatic reflex and rerun testing. The analyzer offers approximately 40 clotting,...

Test kit for 3-HB.(hydroxybutyrate)(Wako Diagnostics)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... The Autokit 3-HB assay is now available for the quantitative determination of + 3-hydroxybutyrate in serum or plasma. Recent proof shows that acetoacetate/3-hydroxybutyrate ratio in arterial blood reflects stages of liver failure. After the...

For selected platforms.(serum protein analysis)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Important for checking accuracy and precision of test methods and instrument performance, ImmuTROL Serum Protein Control used as an assayed QC for serum protein analysis is free of glycerol and glycol, fortified with native serum proteins and...

QC resource.(Industry spotlight)(QCNet 3.0)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... QCNet 3.0 provides easy, fast Internet access to QC information and resources, monthly UNITY and InstantQC interlab reports, product inserts, CE courses, linearity software, and other useful information. Registration and lab administration...

Centrifuge support.(Industry spotlight)(Eppendorf CombiSlide and PCR plate adapters)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... The Eppendorf CombiSlide and PCR plate adapters provide maximum support during centrifugation in Eppendorf microplate rotors (for multipurpose centrifuges 5804, 5804 R, 5810, and 5810 R) and hold 12 microscope slides per bucket. Plate adapters...

Detect IgM to M pneumoniae.(Industry spotlight)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... The ImmunoCard Mycoplasma Rapid Enzyme Immunoassay is an in vitro qualitative procedure for detection of IgM to Mycoplasma pneumoniae in human serum. Test results are intended to aid in the diagnosis of active or recent M pneumoniae infection....

Upgrade/option security.(Industry spotlight)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... The new CryoSecure Proximity Card Access System provides safe, secure, controlled access to the REVCO range of upright ultralow-temperature freezers. Available as an option or field upgrade, Cryo-Secure is easily programmed, allows code...

Washington's forecast for 2005.
January 1, 2005... As the 109th Congress undertakes a slew of legislative challenges, major issues will affect laboratory professionals. MLO invited experts from four respected organizations to share their thoughts on the coming year's legislative tussles. ...