Tools, Technologies and Training for Healthcare Laboratories

21 things I've learned about New BGM regulations

Posted by Sten Westgard, MS

As many of you know, the FDA has issued new draft guidelines about Blood Glucose Monitoring Test Systems for Industry and Manufacturers.

Recently, the AACC held an excellent webinar where an Dr. Courtney Lias, PhD from the FDA discussed the intentions of the new guidances and then fielded a LOT of questions. I don't want to step on what Dr. Lias and the AACC accomplished during their webinar. There was useful information in that presentation and I encourage others to consider getting those materials once they become available on the AACC website.

However, while reading through the guidances and talking to laboratories these past few months, I thought I might share a few observations...

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Q&A: How to Plan for IQCP?

PosteQuestionPathsAheadd by Sten Westgard, MS

As many of you know, EQC is out and IQCP is in. As the expiration date for EQC approaches in 2016, labs need to learn more ab
out Risk QC and IQCPs. CMS has an email address where you can send questions.

We tried out the question and answer line with CMS, see the results after the jump...

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Pop Quiz: Do you suffer from Low QC?

Posted by Sten Westgard, MS [with apologies in advance*]

IsItLowQC

Take the "Low QC" Quiz to see if your laboratory is suffering from this new condition...

  • Do you have a decrease in your desire to QC?
  • Do you have a general lack of energy at work caused by QC?
  • Have you noticed a decrease in your enjoyment of life, possibly due to QC?
  • Are you sad and/or grumpy about QC?
  • Has there been a recent deterioration in your ability to trouble-shoot QC?

Answers, after the jump...

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FDA to ISO 15197: Not good enough

Posted by Sten Westgard, MS

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NY: Glucose Meters Going Off-Label?

Posted by Sten Westgard, MS

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Reducing Readmissions: Can the Lab Help?

Posted by Sten Westgard, MS

Laboratories in the US probably already know this: their healthcare institutions are getting hit with fines from CMS due to excessive 30-day readmission rates for three conditions:

  • (AMI) Acute myocardial infarction
  • (HF) Heart Failure
  • Pneumonia patients

CMS is imposing increasing fines for hospitals that have excessive readmissions. Guess how many hospitals have been fined - and how much money they've had to pay back...

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Thanks, NCCL!

Posted by Sten Westgard, MS

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Losing ground on HbA1c

Posted by Sten Westgard, MS

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Six Sigma Metrics ... Surging in China

Posted by Sten Westgard, MS

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NY Times Editorial Focuses on Failures in Medical Device Regulation

A recent New York Times Sunday editorial focused on the deplorable state of medical device regulation. We simply can no longer trust FDA clearances, particularly 510ks:

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Sigma Metrics ... Spotted in Chinese EQA Reports.

Posted by Sten Westgard, MS

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AACC comments on Proposed New CLIA goals

Posted by Sten Westgard, MS

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Theranos finally bleeds out...

Posted by Sten Westgard, MS

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Pop Quiz: How many equations are needed (at minimum) to calculate measurement uncertainty?

Posted by Sten Westgard, MS

In Biochemia Medica, a recent article detailed the Minimum requirements for the estimation of measurement uncertainty:Recommendations of the joint Working group for uncertainty of measurement of the CSMBLM and CCMB.

Can you guess how many?

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ICYMI: Theranos receives last minute transfusion

Posted by Sten Westgard, MS

Theranos300

Remember in 2017 when there were predictions that Theranos wouldn't last out the year?

It appears reports of Theranos' death were greatly exaggerated... or maybe not

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