Archives of pathology & laboratory medicine
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This report describes the quality control and quality assurance programs for bedside glucometry at our institution. From our 3-year experience, a regular schedule of inspections is necessary for maintenance of high-quality bedside glucose testing. ⋯ Regarding the cost analysis for bedside glucometry, we conclude that bedside glucose testing is not inherently more expensive than testing performed within the clinical laboratory. The increased cost of bedside glucometry over laboratory testing can be significantly minimized by involvement of a limited number of health care workers and performance of bedside glucometry only on clinical units where testing is required more than five times per day.
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Arch. Pathol. Lab. Med. · Oct 1995
Successful alternatives to alternate site testing. Use of a pneumatic tube system to the central laboratory.
We evaluated the use of several modes of alternate site versus central laboratory testing in our hospital to provide improved processing of stat specimens from the Emergency Department and the Operating Room. Using the principle of parallel processing for sample analysis, coupled with installation of a computerized pneumatic tube specimen delivery system, we provided improved turnaround time, a larger test menu, and 24-hour-a-day service from the central laboratory. ⋯ A separate tube zone was established for the Operating Room, and a critical care whole-blood test unit was established in the central laboratory, providing 7-minute turnaround time for blood gases, electrolytes, and glucose. Testing in the Operating Room by nonlaboratory personnel was discontinued.