CAP Today Recommends

March 24, 2015—Researchers evaluated how well eight competing electronic health records systems met 11 objective criteria for optimal graphs of diagnostic test results, and found that none hit the mark on all measures. Among the problems: results graphed in reverse chronological order and misleading data plots. Only two of the EHRs allowed users to hover over or click on a data point to see the precise values of the x-y coordinates. Many commercial EHRs have significant limitations in graphing capabilities

March 24, 2015—An international multidisciplinary group has published consensus guidelines on the pathologic diagnosis and reporting of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms. The group’s nine recommendations aim to “ensure proper communication of salient tumor characteristics to the management teams, accurate comparison of data between analyses, and development of more effective management algorithms.” Read the abstract.

Jan. 29, 2015—Laboratory informatics plays a vital role in helping labs expand their reach and become more involved in patient outcomes. The latest Orchard Software white paper reviews how to evaluate whether a laboratory information system can help carry out that task, and when it is time to look for something new. Read it. According to Orchard, these are some warning signs of an outdated LIS: it is unreliable, difficult to support, lacks satisfactory customer service, lacks key functionality, cannot integrate with

Jan. 26, 2015—MicroRNAs, the small noncoding RNA 18-24 nucleotides in length that post-transcriptionally regulate gene regulation, are taking on a larger role in biomarker discovery, diagnostic development, and therapeutic target development. In this Jan. 27 webinar, a senior scientist at life science firm Promega will discuss a novel chemistry the company developed to simplify and improve the process of isolating MicroRNAs. The presentation begins at 11 a.m. CST. Register.

Jan. 13, 2015—Two articles have been released early online this month by The Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine. One study (abstract | PDF) concludes that traditional diagnostics such as histopathology, acid-fast bacilli smear, and culture should continue to take precedence over AFB PCR in detecting mycobacteria in clinical specimens. The other early release (abstract | PDF) reviews the different immunohistochemical features used for identification, subclassification, prognosis, and sometimes treatment of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and related lymphomas, based on

Dec. 15, 2014—In a health care environment that has little room for waste, it has become imperative that laboratories take a proactive role in making sure that the best tests are ordered, and interpreted properly, to contribute to the goal of better patient care. A white paper from LIS-maker Orchard Software outlines the new paradigm and offers examples of how to monitor and improve test use.

Dec. 12, 2014—The Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine has published three important articles as early online releases. An editorial (abstract | PDF) asks, “How Will the $1,000 Dollar Genome Meet Reality (and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)?” Meanwhile, a survey (abstract | PDF) of nearly 1,000-plus laboratories provides an update on use of high-risk HPV testing. Finally, the CAP’s Personalized Health Care Committee has published the 2014 Cancer Genomics Resource List (abstract | PDF).

Nov. 24, 2014—An “onslaught” of public and private payer changes to coding, billing, and collections are likely to make life tougher for clinical laboratories next year. The Dark Report is presenting a 90-minute webinar aimed at helping labs maximize the money they generate from testing in 2015. The Dec. 4 webinar’s speakers are: Rina Wolf from Xifin, Tom Scheanwald from APS Medical Billing, and Michelle Miller from Vachette Pathology. Learn more.

Nov. 2, 2014—A recently released white paper, “Augmenting an Enterprise-Wide HIT System with a Best-of-Breed Anatomic Pathology LIS,” explains the “hidden traps” found in enterprise-wide and limited-function pathology laboratory information system products, and discusses EHR vendors that recognize the importance of a best-of-breed anatomic pathology LIS. The white paper, released by NovoPath, also explores how four AP laboratories successfully used a best-of-breed AP-specific lab system and evaluates the pathology LIS as a cornerstone of an AP lab’s growth strategy. Sign

Oct. 6, 2014—Learn how to use acoustic flow cytometry to detect rare events in hematopoietic stem cells from whole blood, spot small particles and multiple fluorescent proteins, and identify immunological cellular subsets using more than 10 parameters in whole blood and mouse splenocytes. This webinar focuses on Life Technologies‘ Attune NxT Acoustic Focusing Cytometer. Watch it now. Registration required.