ADVANCE Outlook: Lab Professionals

Mammography and the Right to Choose

Matthew T. Patton — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:53:00 GMT

(Editor's note: This is a guest blog written by Valerie M. Chapman, RN, MSN, a pediatric nurse for 25 years. She is a 3-year breast cancer survivor and lives in Medford, NJ, with her husband and two children.) I am a wife, a mother of two awesome kids,...(read more)

AMP Starts on Positive Note

Matthew T. Patton — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:14:00 GMT

KISSIMMEE, FL -- Christmas decorations next to palm trees are a fun treat for your Philadelphia-based reporter at the Gaylord Palms Convention Center in Kissimmee, FL, where opening remarks for the 15th Annual Meeting of the Association for Molecular...(read more)

ACOG Announces New Pap Guidelines

Amanda Koehler — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:15:00 GMT

In a week where the medical community is up in arms about the new mammogram guidelines, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) announced women should get their first Pap test at age 21, regardless if they are sexually active before...(read more)

Eggcellent!

Amanda Koehler — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:26:00 GMT

Back in September, I traveled home to the Lehigh Valley (Allentown and Bethlehem, PA, area) for a get-together with my girlfriends from high school. I made a cake for the occasion (one I was pretty proud of). We were cutting the cake when my friend Tanya...(read more)

10 Job Search Tips

Amanda Koehler — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:08:00 GMT

There's been so much material available lately on how to search for a job, especially because of job losses during the recession. We've all read articles about it, and a lot of the advice is repetitive after a while. In her book 366 Tips for a Successful...(read more)

How to Manage Up

Amanda Koehler — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:43:00 GMT

To stay mobile in your career, you need to learn how to "manage up." You should learn how to keep a thumb on your boss -- figuratively speaking, of course -- so you can stay ahead in your job and get what you want out of your manager. In their book Working...(read more)

Signs of the Times

Matthew T. Patton — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:46:00 GMT

Acknowledging healthcare reform has been controversial would definitely be an understatement. Almost everywhere I've traveled lately I've heard highly emotional and passionate positions for both sides of the debate. This past weekend, a large group of...(read more)

Woman Fatally Shot at Lab

Amanda Koehler — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:58:00 GMT

ADVANCE is sad to report that Teresa Marie Beiser, 36, of Gladstone, OR, was fatally shot at her workplace, Legacy MetroLab in Tualatin, OR, yesterday. Beiser was reportedly shot by her estranged husband, Robert James Beiser, 39, who later died of a self-inflicted...(read more)

FDA Approves Anti-HIV Test

Kerri Penno — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:17:00 GMT

The FDA has approved Ortho Clinical Diagnostics' diagnostic assay for detecting antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) types 1+2 (Anti-HIV 1+2) for use on the VITROS 5600 Integrated and VITROS 3600 immunodiagnostic systems. According to Ortho...(read more)

Joint Commission Announces Appointment

Kerri Penno — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:42:00 GMT

The Joint Commission has announced the appointment of Jennifer F. Rhamy, MBA, MA, MT(ASCP), SBB, HP as executive director of the Laboratory Accreditation Program. Rhamy, a veteran healthcare professional with experience in both hospitals and blood centers,...(read more)

Serology Partnership

Kerri Penno — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:49:00 GMT

Biotest Diagnostics awarded agreements with Premier healthcare alliance for its advanced serology solutions Biotest Diagnostics Corp. recently announced a multi-year agreement with Premier Purchasing Partners, L.P., the group purchasing unit of Premier...(read more)

3M Release Rapid Detection Test

Amanda Koehler — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:52:00 GMT

3M, St. Paul, MN announced today the introduction of the 3M Rapid Detection RSV Test. R espiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) infects the lungs and breathing passages and is a common cause of bronchitis and pneumonia in children under 1 year. The Rapid Detection...(read more)

Company Releases XMRV Assay

Amanda Koehler — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:24:00 GMT

Cooperative Diagnostics LLC, Greenwood, SC, recently announced the availability of a new diagnostic assay for Xenotropic Murine Leukemia-Related Virus (XMRV) to assist physicians in the diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome and other disorders potentially...(read more)

Syphilis Diagnosis

Amanda Koehler — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:43:00 GMT

A recent Science Daily article discussed a study that found blood tests for syphilis diagnosis produce false negatives 20-30 percent of the time. The study also found most health professionals don't have access to more reliable tests methods using fluorescent...(read more)

H1N1 Diagnosis

Amanda Koehler — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:45:00 GMT

About a month ago, I was visiting with my sister. During our conversation, she brought up that her boyfriend had swine flu. I was concerned for him (and, additionally, for her) but also intrigued because he was the first person I knew who had H1N1. Working...(read more)