The Togo national proficiency test pilot programme for basic clinical chemistry tests

Background: A national proficiency test (PT) programme is not currently implemented in most low-income countries. However, participation in such PT programmes assists improves test performance and result accuracy.Objective: This study assessed how well 11 government hospital laboratories performed 18 basic clinical chemistry tests and identified areas needing improvement.Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out by the Division of Laboratories of the Ministry of Health of Togo from 01 July 2016 to 31 December 2016. The test performance was evaluated using panels provided by One World Accuracy, Canada (Vancouver). The Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments criteria were used in evaluating the laboratories, and their success rates were compared with the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa's target of 80%.Results: The overall rate of acceptable results at the laboratories was over 80% for glucose, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyltransferase, alkaline phosphatase and triglycerides tests. The laboratories using fully automated spectrophotometers had an acceptable results rate of 89% (p = 0.001). The overall performance of the laboratories by cycles varied from 71% to 82%.Conclusion: This national PT programme identified the tests, which laboratories must improve their performance (urea, creatinine, uric acid, bilirubin, cholesterol, total protein, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus). It demonstrated the need for the use of routine appropriate internal quality control in all laboratories. The proficiency test programme should be extended to all clinical laboratories and target all biology disciplines

Cost accounting for diagnosis items based on virtual standardized clinical chemistry laboratory / 中华医院管理杂志

Objective:Cost accounting for its diagnosis items based on virtual standardized clinical chemistry laboratory.Methods:Relevant data of clinical chemistry laboratories from January to June 2019 were extracted from the laboratory information systems of 10 hospitals in Shanghai, and three health economic experts and the directors of their laboratory departments were interviewed in this regard.On such basis, a virtual standardized clinical chemistry laboratory was constructed. The project cost of the virtual laboratory was calculated from the aspects of supplies exhaust, labor and others. The routine clinical chemistry diagnosis items were clustered according to the principle of laboratory methods, and the cost differences of items in the same cluster were compared using paired t test. Results:The cost of rate method and dry chemical method in testing alanine aminotransferase was 5.12 and 11.63 respectively, and that of immune turbidimetry and immune scattering turbidimetry method in testing immunoglobulin G was 20.00 and 22.26 respectively. Cluster analysis was conducted on 214 routine clinical biochemical diagnostic items, of which 202 items were classified into 42 clusters. The average of clinical chemistry items accounted for 91.7%(4 493/4 900)of the total per day. Based on enzymology, the calculation costs of alanine aminotransferase(rate method), aspartate aminotransferase(rate method), cholesterol(enzyme method)and uric acid(enzyme method)was 5.12, 5.10, 5.24 and 5.14 respectively, presenting no statistical difference( P>0.05). Conclusions:Research on the cost accounting method of clinical chemistry laboratory diagnosis items constructed includes labor cost, reflects the technical labor value of medical staff. Cost accounting based on project clustering can provide references for medical service pricing and financial management of hospitals.

Automation and productivity in the clinical laboratory: experience of a tertiary healthcare facility

Clinical laboratories for in vitro diagnostics are facing pressure to preserve cost control while providing better services through new initiatives. Laboratory automation is a partial answer to this problem, having come a long way from the early days of clinical laboratory testing. The journey and implementation of automation in the Singapore General Hospital's Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory has allowed for sustained performance in the light of increasing workload and service commitments amid an evolving healthcare environment. Key to realising predicted outcomes is the optimisation of workflow processes, reduction of errors, and spatial placement of specimen reception and analytical areas. This paper gives an overview of our experience with automation in the clinical laboratory and its subsequent impact on service standards.

Proyecto de actualización de las normas de laboratorio de bioquímica de la facultad de odontología de la universidad central de venezuela / Draft update of the rules of biochemistry laboratory of the faculty of dentistry at the Central University of Venezuela

Diseñar una propuesta para la actualización de las Normas del Laboratorio de Bioquímica del Instituto de Investigaciones Odontológicas "Dr. Raúl Vincentelli" de la Facultad de Odontología de la Universidad Central de Venezuela, a los nuevos requerimientos derivados de las líneas de investigación implementadas en la Institución. Proyecto factible que se inserta en el marco legal venezolano, ya que toma en consideración los principios bioéticos, la higiene, seguridad y bienestar en el trabajo, la preservación del medio ambiente, entre otros aspectos consagrados en diversas leyes. La normativa propuesta se estructura en tres partes. La primera, regula aspectos de índole general como horario de trabajo, requerimientos para el ingreso y permanencia en el Laboratorio, entre otros. La segunda, plantea lineamientos para la prevención de accidentes y preservación de la salud. La tercera, proporciona pautas para el cuidado de las instalaciones y equipos. La investigación básica se considera en la actualidad de vital importancia para el avance de las ciencias odontológicas, por lo que el trabajo que se desarrolla en sus distintos campos, tales como bioquímica, biología molecular, entre otros, debe sustentarse en condiciones óptimas para el logro de resultados satisfactorios. La nueva normativa aquí propuesta, en opinión de los autores, contribuirá significativamente a ello

To design a proposal for Biochemistry Laboratory Rules updating of the "Raúl Vincentelli" Dental Research Institute from Dental School Central University of Venezuela, to the new requirements derived of the research lines implemented in the Institution. Feasible project that is inserted into Venezuelan legal framework, since it takes into consideration the bioethical principles, the hygiene, safety and welfare at work, the environmental preservation, among other aspects consecrated in diverse laws. The proposed rules are structured in three parts. The first regulates aspects of general nature as working hours, requirements for entry and stay in the Laboratory, among others. The second raises guidelines for accident prevention and health preservation. The third provides guidelines for facilities and equipment care. The basic research is considered actually of vital importance for dentistry, for this reason the work that is developed in its different fields, such as biochemistry, molecular biology, among others, must be based on optimum conditions for the achievement of satisfactory results. The new rules proposed here, in authors opinion, will contribute significantly to it

Current Situations and Countermeasures of Biochemistry Laboratory Teaching / 中华医学教育探索杂志

The problems arising from the teaching model in biochemistry laboratory teaching and its countermeasures are discussed in the article.