"Monitoring Antithrombotic Therapy"
Level of Instruction: Intermediate
Contact Hours: 1.0
Physicians have used the same anticoagulants, coumadin, and heparin, for at least 50 years. These drugs have saved countless lives, however they are dangerous, have a narrow therapeutic window, and require continuous laboratory monitoring. Since 1990, however, we have added safer forms of heparin, direct thrombin inhibitors, and anti-platelet drugs aspirin and clopidogrel, and now we await several new oral antithrombotics just emerging from clinical trials.
In this presentation we pinpoint the laboratory's historical contribution to coumadin and heparin therapy, and explore our responsibilities for monitoring current and recently introduced antithrombotics.
Presented by George A. Fritsma MS, MT (ASCP), The Fritsma Factor; Your Interactive Hemostasis Resource, www.fritsmafactor.com, Birmingham, AL
"Reference Intervals: Updated CLSI Guidelines"
Level of Instruction: Intermediate
Contact Hours: 1.0
Every laboratory faces the issue of providing reference intervals for its measurements. Although all of us might aspire to establish our own reference intervals the way we are supposed to do it, the techniques involved seem far too complicated and beyond our capabilities. Instead, most of us simply adopt the reference intervals provided by the manufacturers of our instrumentation.
In this session, using the recently updated CLSI guidelines (C28-A3), we will de-mystify the process of establishing reference intervals, provide instruction on how to verify reference intervals with as few as 20 samples from reference individuals, and identify those tests where our focus should be on accuracy rather than on reference intervals (and they are among the most commonly done tests!).
Presented by Gary L. Horowitz, MD, Director of Clinical Chemistry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Associate Professor of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
"Mycology Potpourri-Case Studies"
Level of Instruction: Intermediate
Contact Hours: 1.0
Ten mycology case studies will be presented. Each case opens with the clinical history, followed by the laboratory diagnosis. Each case study simulates the approach taken in a laboratory setting. Rhetorical questions are included for the cases that the student must consider as the diagnosis of the case evolves. A recapitulation is used at the concluding screen(s) for each of the cases that summarizes the diagnostic process and answers most of the rhetorical questions.
Presented by Elmer W. Koneman, M. D., Professor Emeritus, University of Colorado School of Medicine
"Clinical Chemistry Cases"
Level of Instruction: Intermediate
Contact Hours: 1.0
Utilizing actual case studies from the clinical chemistry laboratory, this discussion will review various analytes. Among the areas discussed will be the physiology associated with the analytes of each case study; several of the reasons that these analyte anomalies may occur; and the pathophysiology that may present due to these deviations. Treatment measures involved with the correction of these analyte deviations, as well as spurious causes of several analytes will also be discussed.
Presented by Matthew Massmann, B.S. CLS, MT (ASCP), Medical Technologist, NREMT-Paramedic, Crookston, MN
"Evidence-Based Clinical Laboratory Cases"
Level of Instruction: Advanced
Contact Hours: 1.0
An important way of demonstrating the critical role of the clinical laboratory professional in patient care is by evidence-based documentation. This session will share such cases and promote a method of organized collection/publication in the future.
Presented by Mary Ann McLane, PhD, CLS(NCA), Professor, Department of Medical Technology, University of Delaware, Newark DE
"Individualized Medicine - Impact on the Clinical Laboratory - A Look into the Crystal Ball"
Level of Instruction: Intermediate
Contact Hours: 1.0
Hospitals face major reimbursement reductions over the next five years as baby boomers move from private health care insurance payors to the Medicare payment schedule. Driven by the need to reduce overall health care costs, hospital laboratories should anticipate that: 1) classical clinical pathology testing will migrate to point of care technology to minimize care delays, 2) individualized medicine will require implementation of a whole new spectrum of testing involving major change in technology, and 3) it will be essential to diversify by providing advanced individualized medicine related laboratory services to the community physician office practice; this keeps the expertise in the community and spreads the cost of the new individualized medicine specialty services across a broader base.
Presented by Thomas P. Moyer, Ph.D., Consultant, Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
"How the Lab Interfaces with Clinical Staff"
Level of Instruction: Intermediate
Contact Hours: 1.0
Periodically the lab has an opportunity to tout its abilities to the clinical staff. Some of these include aiding in establishing reference intervals and cut-off values, helping the staff to understand random error and biological variation and even discussing the interpretation of test results. This lecture covers this material in some detail with examples which will assist the lab in its conversations with the staff.
Presented by David Plaut, Plano, TX
"Laboratory Instrument Acquisition Overview"
Level of Instruction: Intermediate
Contact Hours: 1.0
An overview of the instrument acquisition process will be covered.
Presented by Sterling Schraw, Key Account Executive, Sartell, MN
"Body Fluid Testing"
Level of Instruction: Intermediate
Contact Hours: 1.0
This presentation is an overview of cerebrospinal fluid, serous fluid, and synovial fluid laboratory testing with a major focus on cell count, differential, and morphologic review.
Presented by Debbie Bennes, BS, MLT (ASCP), Hematopathology Morphology Education Specialist II, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
"Mysterious Coagulation Results - Explanations and Solutions"
Level of Instruction: Intermediate
Contact Hours: 1.0
Unexpected and spurious results occur from time to time in all laboratories and in all disciplines of laboratory medicine. Investigating these unusual results in the coagulation laboratory is imperative to proper patient care, where the diagnosis of a bleeding or thrombotic diathesis can be a life-saving decision. Even if the unusual result is not deemed clinically significant, investigation of the cause may be an opportunity to improve a laboratory process that may affect samples in other tests that may be clinically significant.
This presentation uses a case-study approach and demonstrates several technical points that are important in preventing spurious results, and in understanding the effect these results may have on patient care.
Presented by Melissa Bethel, MT(ASCP), Technical Laboratory Manager, Esoterix Coagulation Inc., Englewood, Colorado
