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Articles and journal scans about Point-of-care testing
Journal Scan
June 2007
The clinical benefit of point-of-care testing
Despite the fact that self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) apparently accounts for an amazing 20 % of the expenses of the total in vitro diagnostic market worldwide (27 % in the US), there remains a woeful lack of evidence that SMBG is actually effective in improving the clinical outcome of diabetic patients.
In...
Point-of-care testing
Journal Scan
June 2007
A cautionary case history
The critical significance of the preanalytical phase of blood testing is highlighted by the tragically fatal case of an intensive-care patient who was given an inappropriately high dose of insulin following a falsely high blood glucose result. The patient was recovering from multiple organ failure following surgery in ...
Point-of-care testing
Glucose
Journal Scan
June 2007
Direct ISE versus indirect ISE plasma sodium measurement in the critically ill
Plasma sodium and chloride concentration are routinely measured using either a direct or indirect ion-specific electrode (ISE). Direct ISE is the technique employed in blood gas and most other point-of-care analyzers whereas indirect ISE is used in the majority of biochemistry profiling analyzers sited in central...
Electrolytes
Point-of-care testing
Article
June 2007
Want to improve patient safety?
In most hospitals, the amount of nursing time spent on actual patient care is only 33 %, while problem solving consumes 40 % of their time. That’s the bad news. The good news is that inverting this ratio may be easier than you think.
According to Dr John Kenagy and David Sundahl of the US-based Kenagy & Associates,...
Point-of-care testing
Preanalytical phase
Process optimization
Article
January 2007
What does “lean” have to do with patient safety?
Ever since the landmark document “To err is human” [1]
was released, patient safety has been the paramount objective in US
hospitals. “Patient safety” became the catch phrase and focus for
all activities; a trend that was rapidly taken up by the rest of
the world’s hospitals. Suddenly a new catch phrase – “lean” –
...
Process optimization
Point-of-care testing
Article
January 2007
All you need to know about mock inspections
Mock inspections are a great way to prepare for
real-life inspections from regulatory agencies such as CAP and
JCAHO. But where do you start? And most importantly, what should
you look for?
Lou Ann Wyer, Clinical Specialist, POCT at the
Virginia-based Sentara Laboratory Services and Theresa Kulik,
Point-of-care...
Point-of-care testing
Quality assurance
Glucose
Journal Scan
December 2006
Blood gas analyzers provide reliable bilirubin measurement
Modern blood gas analyzers have incorporated technology that
allows spectrophotometric measurement of bilirubin concentration on
the same whole-blood sample that is used to measure blood gas
parameters. A recent French multicenter study confirms the
reliability of this technique for measuring bilirubin during the...
Bilirubin
Point-of-care testing
Article
October 2006
Kaizen – lean in a week
How to implement improvements in hospital settings within a
week
Jens Weirsøe is one of Radiometer's most experienced
Master Black Belts in Transactional Process Improvements (TPI or
kaizen). He has facilitated 90 kaizen events in several countries
(USA, Japan, Germany and Denmark), in several different industry...
Point-of-care testing
Process optimization
Article
October 2006
Mayo Clinic’s 10 key factors for creating and maintaining a quality POC program
What does it take to create and maintain a quality point-of-care program in a world-renowned healthcare institution? acutecaretesting.org recently asked that question to Paula Santrach, MD, Interim Chair of the Dept. of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at the Mayo Clinic in the US. She came back with a list* of 10...
Point-of-care testing
Quality assurance
Glucose
Article
July 2006
Using the new NACB Practice Guidelines to enhance POCT
The National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry has
developed a Laboratory Medicine Practice Guideline for
point-of-care testing (POCT). This POCT guideline systematically
reviews the scientific literature linking POCT to patient outcome
and makes recommendations for the optimal use of POCT in patient
care.
This...
Point-of-care testing
Quality assurance