We defined the positive predictive accuracy of a hospital-based clinical diagnosis of leptospirosis in 9 provinces across Thailand. Of 700 suspected cases, 143 (20%) were confirmed by laboratory testing. Accuracy of clinical diagnosis varied from 0% to 50% between the provinces and was highest during the rainy season. Most confirmed cases occurred in the north and northeast regions of the country.

Point-of-care testing is a rapidly evolving yet complex field. As your POCT program grows, take the time to understand the regulations, as they are important to ensuring patient safety. The regualtions established CLIA are designed to ensure consistent and reliable laboratory results that can accurately impact patient care. When beginning your look into POCY, first identify what labs can direct...

There are few reports of institutional use of voice recognition technology in clinical practice. We describe our experience with voice recognition-integrated synoptic-like dictation, associating templates with key spoken phrases, that we have used in gross examination of common specimens and as a major component of our workflow since 2001. The primary application is VoiceOver Enterprise (Voiceb...

As we continue the series on education and training in pathology and laboratory medicine, a few common themes are beginning to emerge from this group of articles. First, interest in education and training is growing. Next, there is emerging evidence for the use of new approaches to education and training , several of which we have highlighted in this series. Last, but certainly not least, there...

Gentlemen, to open an address such as this with an expression of the honour which the speaker feels has been thrust upon him is, I know, so usual as to be almost trite; but I hope that the importance of the occasion may be my earnest that I speak both heartily and truly when I say, that I feel it a great and pleasant honour being asked to addres8 you. For a meeting such as this denoting, as it ...

Laboratory testing is a highly complex process and, although laboratory services are relatively safe, they are not as safe as they could or should be. Clinical laboratories have long focused their attention on quality control methods and quality assessment programs dealing with analytical aspects of testing. However, a growing body of evidence accumulated in recent decades demonstrates that qua...

CDC has released updated guidance online for U.S. laboratory testing for Zika virus infection. The guidance is available at https://www.cdc.gov/zika/laboratories/lab-guidance.html. Frequently asked questions are addressed at https://www.cdc.gov/zika/laboratories/lab-guidance-faq.html. This guidance updates recommendations for testing of specimens by U.S. laboratories for possible Zika virus inf...