On February 1, 2019, CMS and CDC published proposed rules to update the CLIA Proficiency Testing Regulations. The PT Regulations had not been updated since first enacted in 1992. There are several areas wherein changes are proposed: 1: For non-microbiology specialties and subspecialties, they propose 29 analytes be added to the regulated analyte list. AtContinue reading “Proposed Changes to Proficiency Testing”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
To Outsource, or Not to Outsource?
The decision to outsource should be based on an organization’s mission and business strategy. Like any other business, laboratories and the organizations they are affiliated with continually struggle with cycling budgets, staff, and capabilities. As such, a decision that lab directors and managers must periodically make is determining what portion of the lab’s tasks andContinue reading “To Outsource, or Not to Outsource?”
5 Pros and Cons to Marketing on Social Media
Social media is a behemoth of the modern age. There are almost 3.4 billion active social media users worldwide, and those numbers are growing. With the increasing presence of Facebook and Twitter, many businesses have made those social media outlets a key part of their marketing strategy, with great success. Almost 90% of marketers say their socialContinue reading “5 Pros and Cons to Marketing on Social Media”
5 Simple Ways to Keep Your Clients Satisfied
According to Entrepreneur.com it is 5x more costly to find a new client than to maintain your existing customers. Happy customers are also a great source of advertising. Personal referrals are excellent for growing the business and being more profitable. Consumers and clients are the heartbeat of all businesses, so performance improvement to their standardsContinue reading “5 Simple Ways to Keep Your Clients Satisfied”
Making the Most Out of Lab Meetings
There is no doubt that technology has influenced and even changed the way we communicate at the workplace. Whereas face-to-face and telephone conversations were likely the most common means for relaying information just a couple of decades ago, we now rely on email and instant text-based messaging for both ease and speed. And although theseContinue reading “Making the Most Out of Lab Meetings”
How to Avoid the Most Common Lab Citations
Most labs will have citations during their inspection, however, knowledge of the most frequent areas of noncompliance can help reduce the number and severity of them. The top noncompliance areas include Calibration, Quality Control, Personnel, Quality Assurance, and Proficiency Testing. Let’s take a look at some examples: Calibration: Observe the performance of instrument maintenanceContinue reading “How to Avoid the Most Common Lab Citations”
What Can and Can’t Your Assistant or Phlebotomist Do In A Laboratory?
As consultants, we often get asked the question, “What can my lab assistant or phlebotomist do in my laboratory?” As laboratories continue to experience a shortage of qualified individuals, and feel the pinch from PAMA reimbursements cuts that went into effect Jan 1st, 2017, many laboratories are having to find increasingly clever ways to reduceContinue reading “What Can and Can’t Your Assistant or Phlebotomist Do In A Laboratory?”
Lawmakers Banning Synthetic Urine Sales
Several media outlets have reported recently about a rising challenge to drug abuse management – a growing demand by individuals to purchase synthetic urine. Synthetic urine is commercially used in laboratories, research, and manufacturing of reagents. It has also been sought out by drug users seeking to defeat urine toxicology testing and can be seenContinue reading “Lawmakers Banning Synthetic Urine Sales”
Star Wars Day Reminds Us, The Future is Here!
Happy Star Wars Day Everybody! Today is a great day to consider how new technologies can make your job, lab or hospital more efficient. Whether that means a better LIS system or purchasing an automated workflow unit, there are ways that technology can make our lives easier. Read More…
Lab Services: What’s Best for Your Business?
It’s all about protecting the business value of the measurement. In previous decades, it was relatively common to simply purchasing annual contracts where the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) provided full maintenance services for its products. However, as instruments became more reliable and cost reduction mandates swept through labs, the situation became more complicated as managers began toContinue reading “Lab Services: What’s Best for Your Business?”