Medical Laboratory Observer articles from September 2008

Medical Laboratory Observer archives from September 2008

Ya get no bread with one meatball.(From the editor)(Editorial)
September 1, 2008... The aging car of a young Mexican man who had come to harvest East Tennessee tobacco broke down at the entrance to the post office. With the hood up, he prowled tentatively with his fingers among steaming-hot parts. Nearby, I watched sturdy...

Straightforward ... and welcomed.(Readers respond)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2008... I love your magazine. I read it from cover to cover and always find something interesting and new. Editor's note: Carol's short-and-sweet note made our day here at MLO when it arrived. Thank you for taking the time to let us know. ...

Sign me up!(Readers respond)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2008... I loved the article about the volunteer lab workers in Haiti ["American med techs volunteer in Haiti," May 2008, p. 20]. I would love to volunteer for something like that. How does one go about finding groups that need willing and able lab...

Grow roots and bloom!(Readers respond)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2008... I just read your editorial ["Workin' at the bloomin' bench, p. 4] in the June 2008 MLO and just loved it!!! You are a woman after my own heart, although my own paper collection is at least 40 years old with occasional pieces approaching 50! I...

Go West, young tech.(Readers respond)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2008... One last addition concerning July 2008's "Letters to the editor," especially Mr. David Sikes' letter [p. 8]. He (and any others) should move to California. Yes, there is a California State Board, but study will get them successfully past that,...

Possible treatment for fungus.(Infectious diseases)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... Possible treatment for fungus. News Medical. Net reports that research scientists at Singapore's Agency for Science's Technology and Research Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology have found that certain substances from bacteria living in the...

Resistance to disease.(McGill University Health Centre )(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... Resistance to disease. The results of a study conducted at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre in Canada disclose that some people may be naturally resistant to infection with HIV, according to another News-Medical....

ID for superbugs.(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... ID for superbugs. The British government's chief medical officer has announced that the country's National Health Service aims to create immunization against the superbugs MRSA and Clostridium difficile within the next 10 years. A News-Medical....

Safety Lady announces six-part audioconference.(Education)
September 1, 2008... Safety Lady announces six-part audioconference. Terry Jo Gile, better known as "The Safety Lady," announces her continuing partnership with ASCLS and now with the Association of Public Health Laboratories--for administration and...

Test for hard-to-identify tumors cleared.(Testing)(Food and Drug Administration)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... Test for hard-to-identify tumors cleared. The FDA cleared Pathwork Diagnostics' tissue-of-origin test, which will be available as an in vitro diagnostic (IVD) kit. While clinical labs can soon run the test themselves, the test is currently...

"Spit Happens" says new salivary assay supplier website.(Salimetrics)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... "Spit Happens" says new salivary assay supplier website. Salivary assay supplier Salimetrics has just launched a unique website that encourages its visitors to call the company and speak to a live human being. "We want to talk to people," says...

AABB announces unique data network.(Biothreat)(American Association of Blood Banks)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... AABB announces unique data network. AABB announced on July 16 the autumn launch of the U.S. Biovigilance Network (the Network), the country's first and only nationwide data-collection program for the transfusion and biological-therapy...

CLMA ThinkLab '09 calls for presentations.(News)
September 1, 2008... CLMA ThinkLab '09 calls for presentations. CLMA announced on July 30 that its ThinkLab '09, sponsored by Orchard Software, launched its "Call for Presentations" website: www.owpm.com/abstracts/CLMA/index. php. Several new educational...

The blood bank: whole lotta shakin' goin' on blood-bank support in U.S. military operations.(COVER STORY)(Cover story)
September 1, 2008... In World War II, a soldier, severely injured in battle, had about a 22% chance of dying. Nearly a generation later, a wounded soldier faces significantly better odds with a less than 9% chance of dying. The fighters who now survive owe their...

POL sets precedent when lab opens transfusion services.(COVER STORY)(Melbourne Internal Medicine Associates)(Cover story)
September 1, 2008... MIMA (formerly known as Melbourne Internal Medicine Associates) is a multispecialty physicians' group located in Florida's Brevard County. In the course of providing necessary treatment for patients with various illnesses, MIMA physicians often...

Blood: banking, collection, instruments; and donor systems.(Product)
September 1, 2008... Automated PFH An in vitro diagnostic DiscretPak Plasma-free Hemoglobin (PFH) reagent test kit for automated analyzers is available. Made specifically for widely used discrete chemistry analyzers, this multipurpose, automated PFH method...

The impact of QC frequency on patient results (1), (2).(CLINICAL ISSUES)
September 1, 2008... Automation. Would it not be great to have the laboratory's quality-control tasks completely automated? No more puzzling about whether to re-run a control specimen or how to evaluate the results. The test system would simply work until it...

Blurred lines of surgical, cytology, and molecular pathology reporting.(LAB MANAGEMENT)(Report)
September 1, 2008... The laboratory's product is information and how that information is presented on the report. The report--your product--can set your laboratory apart from others. Today's technical advances provide sophisticated data that must be presented in a...

Marketability for any size lab.(LIS Industry spotlight)
September 1, 2008... Fflex eSuite LIS has optional modules to improve efficiency and increase the lab's marketability with access and reporting options to satisfy demanding customers. Fast turnaround with fully automated processing; results in real time....

Upload to EMRs.(LIS Industry spotlight)
September 1, 2008... LabNet LIS is a Windows NT client server system that combines ease of use with versatility, power, and high-speed volume to meet a demanding lab's needs. Generate and distribute lab results easily and effectively. Upload lab activity to EMRs,...

Modules include transfusion, AP.(LIS Industry spotlight)
September 1, 2008... LabWeb is a full-featured LIS, including rules-based analysis, a lean, powerful database for in-depth analysis, and QA and QC capabilities. With modules that include SBB blood-bank transfusion service, advanced AP system, and medical necessity...

Ease of installation.(LIS Industry spotlight)
September 1, 2008... LabDAQ offers flexibility, communication, security, and value. Configured to meet specific lab needs, expands with the lab. Communicates seamlessly with physicians and other facility departments; supports true bidirectional interfaces to...

Configure with HL7-compliant systems.(LIS Industry spotlight)
September 1, 2008... IntelliLab LIS provides order management, bar-code label production, instrument interfaces, and QC and reporting tools to ensure capture of maximum revenue while providing reporting capabilities that serve lab patients well. IntelliLab can be...

Is your lab rep selling a commodity?(LAB SALES)
September 1, 2008... The "buzz" at national industry meetings (i.e., The Executive War College and Washington G-2) has been about labs perceived as a commodity. Many healthcare providers and allied health professionals believe that a lab is a lab is a lab. After...

Schwartz tips his CAP.(Executive snapshot)(Jared N. Schwartz, College of American Pathologists)(Interview)
September 1, 2008... Promoting the future of pathology. I am fortunate to have found what I love: medicine and, more specifically, the specialty of pathology. I truly enjoy learning about new technologic and scientific advancements in medicine, and the opportunity...

Can AWAs meet the lab's needs?(Liability and the lab)(alternate work arrangements)
September 1, 2008... Q With increasing gas prices, technologists with long commutes have begun to ask for alternate work arrangements (AWAs): four 10-hour shifts, for example, or when data analysis and committee prep work can be done remotely. What are the legal...

Addressing management issues.(Management Q&A)
September 1, 2008... Ease chaos: laboratorians vs. nurses Q After 10 years of working in this lab, I became lab manager seven months ago. On a regular basis, laboratorians put up with derogatory, accusatory, and demanding behavior from the nursing staff. Any...

Dipstick on spun urine.(Answering your questions)
September 1, 2008... Q Can you tell me if it is acceptable to do a urinalysis on spunurine? Are there any components of the strip where this does not work? Our manufacturer, Roche, says to mix urine well. Is this mostly to evenly suspend material for microscopic?...

Further IFE testing on bone marrow.(Answering your questions)
September 1, 2008... Q A pathologist is requested to perform a bone marrow on an outpatient. On interpreting the bone marrow, the pathologist would like to perform an immunoelectrophoresis, or IFE. No order was received for an IFE when the patient was presented....

POCT glucose replicate limits.(Answering your questions)
September 1, 2008... Q What is considered acceptable for replicate testing of high glucose values using a glucometer? I am getting a range of up to 80 mg/dL at a 400 mg/dL level. I believe that is too broad. A Studies to assess the precision of glucose...

Results in five.(DOA Industry spotlight)
September 1, 2008... One-step urine tests for drugs of abuse (DOAs) are easy with the AccuSign DOA Series. Results in five minutes. Simultaneous testing capability of multidrugs with individual tests or with the DOA panels. Easy to read, highly sensitive, no need...

Consistent accuracy.(DOA Industry spotlight)
September 1, 2008... The Triage Drugs of Abuse Panel is a highly accurate screen for up to nine classes of abused drugs, and contains two cost-efficient, built-in reactive controls; one positive, one negative. Panels include dual, distinct...

No specimen contact.(DOA Industry spotlight)
September 1, 2008... The ORAL screen DRUGOMETER tests for 99% of illicit workplace drugs. Easy-to-use, one-step test with no contact with specimen. Suitable for testing for pre-employment, reasonable suspicion, post-accident, or return-to-duty application....

In-pocket portable.(DOA Industry spotlight)
September 1, 2008... BreathScan is a fast, easy, and portable way to help detect the presence of alcohol on a person's breath. Detectors are available in breath alcohol levels of .02%, .04%, and .08%. Four steps and two minutes to results. Single-use, disposable...

Instrument-based drug test.(DOA Industry spotlight)
September 1, 2008... The OnTrak OraLyzer is a fast, simple, non-invasive instrument-based drug test. This desktop or mobile system has a simple three-key operation, and tests up to seven drugs and claims the lowest detectable level for parent THC in the industry....

Meets SAMHSA guidelines.(DOA Industry spotlight)
September 1, 2008... The Urine Toxicology family of controls includes a variety of products designed to monitor the performance of screening, semiquantitative, and confirmatory DOA test procedures. This series contains specimen validity criteria claims for pH,...

Monitor performance.(DOA Industry spotlight)
September 1, 2008... These Drugs of Abuse Urine Screen Controls monitor the performance of several screening methods. With five new analytes--codeine, LSD, MDA, MDMA, and MDEA, it is liquid, human urine-based, and has a three year unopened and open vial stability...

Use saliva or urine samples.(DOA Industry spotlight)
September 1, 2008... The Microlab STAR tests saliva or urine samples and can test for any number of drugs. While there are up to 11 tests typically performed, every test may not be needed for a particular samples, thus the device follows a specific, documented work...

AABB annual meeting and TXPO--October 4-7--Montreal, Quebec, Canada.(Show preview)(American Association of Blood Banks)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... Attend this year's AABB annual meeting and TXPO and learn the latest in blood banking, transfusion medicine, cellular and related biological therapies, advance your career, explore state-of-the-art products and services, and network with...

United laboratory industry stops CBD project.(Washington report)(competitive bidding demonstration )
September 1, 2008... On July 15, 2008, the U.S. Congress voted to override President Bush's veto of HR 6331, The Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008. Contained within HR 6331 was a provision to delete Congressional authorization for...