Nov 29, 2011 | Laboratory News, Laboratory Operations, Laboratory Pathology
Advances in use of probe-based Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy (pCLE) could mean that GIs refer fewer specimens to clinical pathology laboratories
Gastroenterologists are beginning to use what is being called the “world’s smallest microscope” to view tissue in situ and diagnose disease. It is a technology innovation that will have important ramifications for the anatomic pathology profession because this new system is designed to allow physicians to microscopically examine a patient’s GI tissue at the cellular level in its natural environment.
The product is entering clinical use in the United States. It is called Cellvizio and is manufactured by Mauna Kea Technologies (MKEA), a French company with offices in Newtown, Pennsylvania. Cellvizio is a miniature microscope that, once inserted into the GI tract, enables the physician to select cells for microscopic examination in order to make a more immediate decision regarding a diagnosis, as well as treatment.
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Sep 16, 2009 | Laboratory News, Laboratory Pathology
More sophistication and performance in new POCT and monitoring systems for home use
Efforts to increase patient home self-testing and monitoring continue to pay off. Two new products for point-of-care (POC) health tests and patient home monitoring recently entered the marketplace. Both systems are devices that enable healthcare professionals to remotely monitor patients with chronic illnesses.
Separately, UK-based The Jaltek Group and Sweden-based Ericsson each introduced wireless monitoring systems worn by patients at home or in healthcare facilities. These systems improve patients’ quality of life by continuously monitoring their vital signs while allowing free movement. These devices also avoid the need for frequent trips to the doctor and may lower health care costs.
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Aug 17, 2009 | Laboratory News, Laboratory Pathology
Young physicians want more transparency in financial relationships
By their actions, Generation Y doctors are sending a clear message that they want to take the ethical high road in their dealings with drug companies and medical device developers. In medical schools across the nation, young physicians are speaking up about what they consider to be one element of greed in their profession.
Their advocacy group, the American Medical Student Association (AMSA), is calling for a crackdown on professional ethics violations. Medical students are particularly concerned about relationships with drug and medical device developers that pose a conflict of interest. To call attention to this issue, AMSA now rates academic medical centers on how well they monitor and control money from drug and medical products companies. These results are available to the public.
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Aug 12, 2009 | Laboratory News, Laboratory Pathology
Effort will identify which clinical procedures actually benefit patients—and are cost-effective
“Comparative effectiveness research (CER)” is likely to be one method that healthcare reformers use to establish reimbursement for different medical technologies and treatments. This will apply equally to clinical laboratory testing and pathology professional services as well as other medical procedures.
There is a compelling reason why comparative effectiveness is likely to happen on this turn of the healthcare reform wheel. Congress put teeth into the comparative effectiveness movement earlier this year when it provided $1.1 billion to support the effort in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
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Jul 15, 2009 | Laboratory News, Laboratory Pathology
Goal is to address conflict of interest in clinical studies and CME programs
Each year, clinical laboratories and laboratory medicine associations receive less financial support from industry vendors and suppliers. This is a response to tougher Medicare compliance requirements and tighter ethics guidelines. Now comes a report from the Institute of Medicine calling for further reforms on how companies work with physicians to conduct clinical trials and publicize the findings.
The IOM committee’s report, Conflict of Interest in Medical Research, Education and Practice, stresses the importance of preventing bias and mistrust upfront, rather than trying to remedy damage after the fact. It focused specifically on financial conflicts of interest involving pharmaceutical, medical device, and biotechnology companies.
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