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In Part 1 of this series, we discussed the importance of quality in the pre-analytical phase of Point of Care (POC) testing. In Part 2, we will cover the quality aspects impacting the analytical and post-analytical phases. Analytical Quality Traditional POCT operators are non-laboratory trained personnel lacking a firm grasp of laboratory principles and the

It is reported that 70% of clinical decisions are based on test results more often generated in a permanent laboratory. As technology has become more mobile, the laboratory has been miniaturized into portable testing devices. The wide –array of POCT devices include glucometers, urine readers, blood gas analzyers, and pregnancy tests. These devices (and many others) makeup

The SARS-CoV-19 pandemic has upended the healthcare field for more than a year and a half. Besides an impact on infection control practices and staffing considerations, the pandemic has also significantly disturbed the supply chains for multiple medications and products. This has led to a direct impact on sterile compounding, at a time when the

Just as the healthcare community begins to regroup from prolonged pandemic conditions, it is faced with a new challenge – the “catch-up” period. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the routine healthcare flow dramatically as providers had to scale back operations and patients avoided care out of fear. A report from the Urban Institute finds that one in three

Editor’s note: We first published this post on 09/04/2020.  It was one of our most-read columns, and we thought you might enjoy it again. Employee engagement is defined as the emotional commitment the employee has to the organization and its goals. It is what separates those that are content and those that go above and

Providing documentation during a pharmacy audit is always a challenge. Perhaps you’ve seen carts of binders and files being rolled to wherever the audit team is located. The virtual surveys brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic have added another layer of complexity. Manual (paper) records must somehow be presented to an inspector, either one at

Providing documentation during a laboratory inspection is always a challenge. We’ve all seen carts of binders and files being rolled to wherever the inspection team is located. The virtual surveys brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic have added another layer of complexity. Manual (paper) records must somehow be presented to an inspector, either one at

StaffReady is re-releasing this blog article, originally published in 2018.  It has great content, and some additional information and links have been added.  We hope you find this useful! – Editor I recently went through a CAP inspection for our lab. In fact, it was my sixth time having gone through an inspection. And even after this

In Part I of this series, we talked about preparations a laboratory could make in getting ready for an initial or biennial CAP inspection. Part 2 will focus on preparing staff for a CAP inspection. Staff preparation Laboratory staff are integral to successful laboratory operations. The CAP recognizes this fact and tasks inspectors to ask

Medical laboratories are highly regulated operations requiring strict adherence to standards and regulations to be granted accreditation. As part of the accreditation process, a laboratory must be inspected. For laboratory staff, the regular inspection cycles produce some of the most stressful experiences they will likely have while working in a lab. Fortunately, whether it is