Tools, Technologies and Training for Healthcare Laboratories

Best Practices for "Westgard Rules"

So we've catalogued some of the worst abuses of "Westgard Rules." What about the best uses? What's the best way to use "Westgard Rules" - and When, Why, How and Who, too? Here is a list of 12 practices to make your use of "Westgard Rules" better.

Abuses, Misuses, and In-excuses

WARNING! You may not want to read this article. It's a sobering list of all the common mistakes made by manufacturers and laboratories when they design, implement and interpret the "Westgard Rules." As it turns out, when your software or instrument or LIS claims to have "Westgard Rules," it might not be true or even useful. And if you see a claim that they've "modified" the rules to make them better, be afraid.