News, Analysis, Trends, Management Innovations for
Clinical Laboratories and Pathology Groups

Hosted by Robert Michel

News, Analysis, Trends, Management Innovations for
Clinical Laboratories and Pathology Groups

Hosted by Robert Michel
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New Point of Care Test for Anemia That Patients Can Administer Themselves Has Potential to Impact Pathology Groups and Clinical Laboratories

Developed by researchers at Emory University, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and the Georgia Institute of Technology, the anemia test device is awaiting clearance by the FDA

New diagnostic technology may shift some hemoglobin testing for anemia out of clinical laboratories and into near-patient settings. It may also be possible to use this new diagnostic device for patient self-testing.

The developers describe this as a new, easy, inexpensive point-of-care test (POCT) that detects anemia. The device may be available as early as 2016. It is possible for the test to be used in situations where resources are low and illiteracy is high.

The new medical laboratory test is called AnemoCheck and was developed by scientists and students at Emory University, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. (more…)

Companies Developing Non-invasive and Wearable Glucose Monitoring Devices That Can Report Test Data in Real Time to Physicians and Clinical Laboratories

Goal is to shift glucose testing away from medical laboratories and make it easier for diabetics to do their own testing, while capturing glucose test results in patient records

Because of the tremendous volume of glucose tests performed daily throughout the world, many companies are developing non-invasive methods for glucose testing. Their goal is a patient-friendly technology that does not require a needle stick or venipuncture and may even eliminate the need to send specimens to a medical laboratory.

What is intriguing about these initiatives is that, in their final form, they may create a flow of useful diagnostic data reported to clinical laboratories in real time. This would create the opportunity for pathologists and lab scientists to consult with the patients’ physicians, while archiving this test result data in the laboratory information system (LIS).

These glucose monitoring methods would also ensure that a complete longitudinal record of patient tests results is available to all the physicians practicing in an accountable care organization (ACO), medical home, or hospital.  (more…)

New ‘Smart Diaper’ Tests Baby’s Urine for Urinary Tract Infections, Dehydration, and Kidney Problems—Then Alerts Baby’s Doctor

Clever entrepreneur thinks up inventive way to truly do clinical laboratory tests at the ultimate point of care and use a smart phone application to alert the doctor

With the advent of digital technology and smartphones, medical laboratory testing is moving out of the central laboratory and into the bedside, homes and now into diapers! A new digital “Smart Diaper” invented by New York startup Pixie Scientific constantly monitor’s a baby’s health to detect urinary tract infections, kidney problems, or dehydration early, before the health issue escalates.

‘Smart Diaper’ Tweets When It Detects a Health Problem (more…)

Singapore Nightclub Uses a Urinal-based Urine POCT Device to Screen Patrons’ Alcohol Levels and Discourage Drunks from Driving Themselves Home

Effort to do medical laboratory tests at point-of-care is not perfect, but the system did encourage 342 of the 573 drunks identified by the tests to take a ride home

In the world of point-of-care testing (POCT), this may be the most humorous attempt to perform medical laboratory testing in an unusual setting: the men’s toilet at a night club! As part of an anti-drunk driving campaign, a nightclub in Singapore has installed urine analyzers in urinals that automatically signal management when a patron is too drunk to drive.

Pathologists and clinical laboratory managers will find this initiative to not only be humorous, but instructive as to how innovative thinkers will apply diagnostic technologies in unorthodox ways. As used in Singapore, this program pairs the diagnostic testing device with an RFID chip and wireless technology to provide a real-time analysis and alert whenever the alcohol level of a customer participating in this program exceeds the legal limit for safe driving.

(more…)

Collaboration of Caltech Engineers and LeukoDX Produces Prototype Point-of-Care Device That Counts White Blood Cells in Minutes in the Patient’s Home

The science behind the device is an innovative detection assay of dyes that stain leukocytes so they will fluoresce and enable differentiation of white blood cell subtypes 

Over the last couple of years, medical laboratory technology developers have brought a number of FDA-approved point-of-care (POCT) and home self-tests to market.

These medical tests run the full spectrum. They include tests to detect HIV, malaria, pregnancy or male fertility, drug use or Hepatitis C. There are tests to monitor liver function, glucose in diabetics, cholesterol; and provide needle-free CBCs and genetic tests. (more…)

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