An acronym pulled from the alphabet soup is CQI, or Continuous Quality Improvement. Managers and quality improvement people use this to show that everything can be improved, even processes that work. Continuously trying to improve quality generates incremental improvements; rather than completely redesigning a process, it is changed in response ...

Teamwork and technology are quickly replacing the concept of the one-man show. A recent news briefing noted on the major differences between Baby Boomer Physicians and even the doctors of Generation “X” versus the new hires of Generation “Y,” but who will bridge the transitional gap? As younger physicians and pathologists continue to join the ...

If your procedures are online (I added the word “online” to the title of this blog, because it seems like a more interesting question), it’s easy to track clicks to know who reads what. But IT geeks who love online procedures don’t use aging eyes to flick between tube labels, an instrument, a color reaction, and a computer screen. If your ...

The other day my boss asked me to do some research to help her in instituting an EzPAP protocol. I was more than eager to take on the task, but the only problem was I had no idea where to begin as far as writing a policy was concerned and honestly didn't know a whole lot about the specifics of EzPAP. So I watched a video on the manufacturers ...

I attended the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS) annual meeting in Atlanta. The meeting was a great opportunity to meet members of the laboratory community. The keynote speakers demonstrated, in a debate format, the challenges faced by practicing clinicians on appropriate test selection and correct interpretation of test ...

Guest post by Karen Appold ATLANTA -- During the Wednesday afternoon session, “Career Options for the Medical Laboratory Scientist,” four laboratorians summarized their career paths, some of which deviated from the traditional laboratory setting. They also described rewards and challenges along the way as well as offered advice for climbing the ...

It often strikes me as odd when some lab techs profess not to understand computers. The first Apple II appeared in labs over thirty years ago, soon followed by microprocessor controlled instruments. (Remember the Technicon RA-1000? I can still hear those probes whining like asthmatic cats!) While many techs started in paper-based labs, ...

We are all aware of the recent events in the Arab world. Some of us were glued to television stations or internet sites to learn about the latest developments. The peaceful demonstration resulted in the fall of the ruling regime in Egypt and Tunisia. The political protests started and were organized through the use of social media and the ...

It is hard to believe that nearly half of the year 2011 has come and gone. Summer is just days away. Starting this month, the ADVANCE for Medical Laboratory Professionals team is already looking at our calendars with our eyes on 2012. As we are doing so far in 2011, we hope to look at some of the most promising directions for the field of ...

As Google and other search engines are becoming more comprehensive, the ability to discriminate between useful and misleading information becomes essential. In our classrooms, we encourage critical thinking to facilitate integration of presented material and to aid in the acquisition of new material. By learning how to think critically, students ...