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Article
April 2005
POCT data mining – an introduction
Point-of-care testing (POCT) results, like other forms
of laboratory data, hold potential hidden information that can be
utilized to improve patient care.
The technique of extracting
useful information from vast amounts of data is termed “data
mining”. Technological solutions are now available to meet the
challenges ...
Point-of-care testing
Information management
Preanalytical phase
Process optimization
Glucose
Creatinine/urea
Hemoglobins
Article
April 2005
Make document management user-friendly
In 1998, Fleury Diagnostics, Brazil's most comprehensive center for diagnostic medicine and pathology with 1,600 employees and 2,500 patients a day, implemented its own system for managing documents necessary for certification and point-of-care testing (POCT) programs. The system was entirely developed in-house in the ...
Process optimization
Information management
Article
April 2005
Transcutaneous monitoring in continuous use
The University College London Hospitals (UCLH) is one of the largest NHS trusts in England. The Elizabeth Garrett Anderson and Obstetric Hospital houses the Trust's gynecology, obstetric and neonatal services.
At the neonatal unit, blood gas monitoring has historically been done by a combination of blood gas...
Neonatology
Article
April 2005
Management of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia
Supported by Pennsylvania Hospital Kernicterus Fund and the Eglin Fund
In the late 1980s, the question whether bilirubin damaged the brain of healthy infants was unanswered. The absence of documented evidence influenced the formulation of the 1994 consensus-based guidelines...
Neonatology
Bilirubin
Article
April 2005
Specimen mislabeling: A significant and costly cause of potentially serious medical errors
Preanalytical errors are a significant source of medical
errors that can jeopardize patient safety. Proper specimen labeling
practices are critical components of effective and accurate patient
identification.
These variables are now considered part of the
preexamination process in the newest CLSI quality system...
Process optimization
Preanalytical phase
Article
April 2005
Behind the glucose protocol
In 2001, Belgian professor Greet Van den Berghe, PhD, and her colleagues at the Leuven University Hospital began a small revolution with the publication of the 2001 study “Intensive insulin therapy in critically ill patients”.
According to the study, tighter glucose control based on insulin therapy lowered rates of...
Glucose
Point-of-care testing
Article
March 2005
POCT data mining – a practical approach
Simple data-mining algorithms can be applied to
point-of-care testing (POCT) data to document compliance of quality
control, operator training and to identify potential preanalytical
errors.
Data can be manipulated to automate manual review and other
laborious processes for identifying data trends, verifying...
Point-of-care testing
Information management
Preanalytical phase
Process optimization
Creatinine/urea
Glucose
Article
February 2005
Oxygen therapy in the newborn period represents a challenge
Oxygen is one of the most widely used drugs in medicine,
and especially so in the newborn period. In many cases, oxygen
supplementation is needed and is life-giving, but we are also aware
of its toxic effects. In spite of this, we still do not know
exactly what is the correct way to administer this drug.
It is a...
Neonatology
Blood gases/acid-base
Article
January 2005
Biological variation and reference (normal) values
Test results are commonly interpreted against
population-based reference (normal) intervals, which should be
provided on every laboratory report, irrespective of whether
the test has been done as point-of-care testing or in a
clinical laboratory.
Reference intervals are difficult to
generate properly if international ...
Quality assurance
Creatinine/urea
Hemoglobins
Article
January 2005
Twelve keys to effective competency programs
What does it take to ensure an effective competency
program? Acutecaretesting.org asked three point-of-care coordinators (POCC)
with solid programs what makes their competencies work. Their input
resulted in a list of 12 key recommendations.
Process optimization
Point-of-care testing
Quality assurance