CAP Today as an American-Based Journal - Literature review Example

Journal and Feature Article Reviews Journal CAP (College of American Pathologists) Today CAP Today is an American-based journal that is publishedon a monthly basis as an official publication by the College of American Pathologists. The College of American Pathologists generally aims to provide quality medical care from which American communities will benefit; specifically, services and information are presented to the public to ensure the effectiveness of laboratory services. This medical journal plays an important function for pathologists as it provides publication for clinical and anatomic pathology along with laboratory management and new technological advancements. The available information enables the laboratorians to obtain specialized knowledge that is necessary for successfully practicing laboratory medicine and pathology. Aside from ensuring quality patient care through laboratory services, the journal also aims to provide information that will protect and reinforce the capability of pathologists in their practice. Articles that focus on medical laboratory management, molecular pathology, complex technologies, and cytometry are presented. Its published articles have been made available on the journal’s official web site http://www.cap.org. Regular features of CAP Today include the President’s Desk, also known as the monthly statement of the CAP president, Put It on the Board section that includes all critical and relevant issues of the month, the Letters section that present responses gathered from members of various hospitals, medical centers, and institutions who have expressed their thoughts and opinions, and the Q & A section that allows readers to submit their queries. In addition, clinical abstracts and anatomic abstracts are provided as well. The journal also provides special features, including coagulation case studies and the Laboratory Accreditation Newsletter. Authors and contributors to the journal include professionals from a wide range of departments, including the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology and Department of Internal Medicine; health professionals from schools, such as the University of Minnesota Medical School and the University of California, Los Angeles, also provide their relevant contributions. Some of the most common articles featured in the journal primarily focus on laboratory management in relation to patient safety, error identification, and adherence to appropriate laboratory guidelines to enhance clinical reliability and reduce errors. The examination of clinical procedures, such as therapies and biopsies, are also integrated in the journal’s articles to determine their effectiveness and provide recommendations on the improvement of such processes. On the whole, its peer-reviewed articles provide comprehensive information for clinical laboratory scientists and pathologists alike. Feature Article #1- Paxton, Anne (2010) “Critical value repeats—redundancy, necessity?” CAP Today, December 2010. Web. 11 June 2011. Repeating laboratory tests to ensure accuracy is widely known as a well-established practice among laboratories. During the past decades, repeat testing was more appropriate as instruments and resources were less efficient compared to the technological advancements and new processes nowadays. However, over the recent years, laboratory information systems along with ultrasensitive sensors, clot detectors, and enhanced testing instruments have significantly increased the effectiveness of laboratory services and increased the accuracy of results. Moreover, because this policy can lead to delays in the reporting of critical test results along with increased analytic process cost, the requirement for verifying every critical value result by means of repeat analysis has been questionable over the years. Laboratory testing and analyses is conducted to assist physicians in their daily activities, particularly in the diagnosis identification and definition, estimation of the disorder’s seriousness, follow-up reporting on the disorder development, as well as the establishment of appropriate responses, interventions and therapies for the disorder. Repeat testing requires that a value found outside a reference range should be repeated whereas a result found within the reference range will be left as is, although both are found within the analytical range for measurement. It has been asserted that if no instrumental flags are present and laboratorians are nonetheless 95% certain of the results’ accuracy in relation to the range of reference, it should follow that these professionals should be assured as well when results are outside of the reference rage. Laboratory automation during the previous decades can be characterized by clot detectors and level sensors that are of less sensitivity. Technology designed for laboratory information systems frequently experienced problems, including sample misidentification, patient misidentification, fibrin clots, and inadequate samples. Therefore, it was more favorable to repeat the values found outside the range of reference for the avoidance of interventions that were based on erroneous results. Data precision has since then been compared between older instruments and current instruments to note the improvement in instrumentation accuracy and precision. At present, two-way communication exists between instruments and laboratory information systems, thereby ensuring patient identification and safety. Furthermore, aside from ultra-sensitive sensors and detectors, feedback obtained from staff members often point out similar results are acquired after repeat testing. Therefore, with the advancements made in terms of the accuracy and precision of laboratory services, repeat measurements are appropriate only when uncertain and questionable results are acquired. Although accuracy can be enhanced by averaging two results or more, this can be associated with increased costs for capital, labor, and time. Moreover, repeat testing with which results fall within the critical range can also lead to adverse patient safety outcomes. The process causes a delay in the reporting of results, thereby delaying the possible interventions that can be implemented by the physician. Journal # 2: ADVANCE for Medical Laboratory Professionals This news magazine provides access comprehensive information to laboratory professionals in a wide range of disciplines included in this particular industry by presenting updates and information on events and research findings. As it is published bi-weekly, the magazine is presented in regular columns which provide access to the latest news on issues about laboratory professionals, compliance to laboratory guidelines, and marketing issues. Technological advancements that significantly contribute to laboratory management are also included, such as molecular biology technology. Articles are mostly written by field experts, such as pathologists, laboratory directors, educators, and researchers. These medical laboratory professionals work for schools, medical institutions, as well as government and non-government organizations alike, such as The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Shelbey Baptist Medical Center, University of Alabama, University of Tennessee Health Science Center , American Society of Phlebotomy Technicians, National Society for Histotechnology, and the American Association of Bioanalysts. Current print issues, digital archives, and letters to the editor can all be accessed at the magazine’s official web site http://laboratorian.advanceweb.com. Feature Article #2- Anon. “COLA offers free web tool for lab management”. ADVANCE for Medical Laboratory Professionals, 24 April 2010. Web. 7 June 2011. Many have believed that the enhancement in laboratory automation can be associated with the increase of the volume tests that have been conducted over the years. Moreover, increased efficiency, enhanced patient safety outcomes, reduction of laboratory errors, and satisfaction among laboratorians, physicians, and patiens, have all been associated with laboratory automation. Due to the increased effectiveness of laboratory services, appropriate interventions can be successfully provided to patients. Typically, laboratory automation is further developed based on a worldwide standards process in order to facilitate the utilization and integration of equipment in clinical laboratories. Following such criteria, developers of clinical and medical resources attempt to design equipment which the industry and users can easily comply with. At the same time, healthcare costs can be reduced whereas quality and safety outcomes can be maintained at a high level. Laboratory automation can lead to the reduction of testing redundancy as well as a decrease in the need for training and maintenance. In Columbia, it was reported that COLA made its announcement to create and implement a new laboratory management desktop tool for its clients. The usage of such electronic resources, such as enabling the laboratory personnel to efficiently manage the regulatory compliance requirements through an electronic means rather than relying on manual methods, has significantly contributed to the advancement and progress of laboratories. Instead of allocating time for filling out paper records, the laboratory’s profile can be easily updated electronically, allowing for a more convenient and reliable laboratory management. In addition, the tool can be utilized for viewing survey results and news alerts and acquiring support to address various laboratory needs. Because laboratory managers are often required and challenged to adhere to the Quality Systems standards and acting in accordance with regulatory requirements, electronic tools can significantly allow these professionals to ensure quality patient care. Laboratory management can be further enhanced through the desktop tool by giving professionals an easier time in obtaining access to educational resources, ensuring regulatory compliance, storing and updating records, and acquiring industry alerts. This new approach can directly and favorably contribute to laboratory management by saving time and simplifying the tasks performed by laboratory professionals. The use of such tool, thereby, facilitates the role of the quality management system in bringing together the laboratory management and technical activities by means of a documentation process and a set of practices. Information can be easily provided for the continual performance and development of the laboratory’s activities while emphasizing the responsibilities of staff members. The desktop tool can document the methods for management and technical operations, practice such operations as documented without experiencing variations, and document the activities conducted in the laboratory during its actual performance. A laboratory that presents an effective management of documented policies, procedures, tests and instructions, can demonstrate their commitment to appropriate professional practice. Preventive and corrective actions, along with management reviews, control of records, purchase of services and supplies, subcontracting of tests, and review of requests, can be made more efficient through the automation of laboratory equipment, including the use of desktop tools. References Anon. “COLA offers free web tool for lab management”. ADVANCE for Medical Laboratory Professionals, 24 April 2010. Web. 7 June 2011. Paxton, Anne (2010) “Critical value repeats—redundancy, necessity?” CAP Today, December 2010. Web. 11 June 2011. Read More