The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) hold well-established guidelines regarding what is considered medically necessary within the realm of testing. Medical necessity is important in clinical testing because tests deemed to fall out of the definition of being medically necessary can end up being denied by CMS for reimbursement. As well, CMS has
A laboratory not only needs its staff to be highly trained to run effectively, but it also requires state-of-the-art and cutting-edge equipment. Top-tier equipment can be the difference between disorganized and slow production versus a seamless and streamlined workflow. Roche Diagnostics, as a research and medical diagnostic applications manufacturer, brings such equipment to labs in
Originally published in LabTalk (Volume 4, Issue 3, 2009), the quarterly newsletter of Aculabs. Novel H1N1 virus, known to be an influenza A-subtype, was originally referred to as “swine flu” because it is very similar to influenza viruses normally occurring in North American pigs (swine). Flu viruses are mainly spread from person to person through
Originally published in LabTalk (Volume 4, Issue 2, 2009), the quarterly newsletter of Aculabs. Vitamin D has been well known for its role in bone metabolism; however, the important role of vitamin D beyond that was the discovery of the 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D nuclear receptor in most tissue. Increased interest in vitamin D introduced the recent
Originally published in LabTalk (Volume 4, Issue 1, 2009), the quarterly newsletter of Aculabs. JUPITER (Justification for the Use of Statins in Primary Prevention: an Intervention Trial Evaluating Rosuvastatin), a study published in the Nov. 20 edition of New England Journal of Medicine, showed that treatment with Statin could significantly reduce cardiovascular problems in apparently
Originally published in LabTalk (Volume 3, Issue 4, 2008), the quarterly newsletter of Aculabs. September was “National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.” The goal of this annual event is to generate widespread awareness regarding prostate cancer and to give the public an opportunity to learn more about it and how to reduce their risk. Prostate cancer
Originally published in LabTalk (Volume 3, Issue 3, 2008), the quarterly newsletter of Aculabs. Prothrombin time (PT) tests measure clotting time in a blood sample from the activation of factor VII through the formation of fibrin clot. PT evaluates the integrity of the extrinsic and common pathways of coagulation. It is measured in seconds and
Originally published in LabTalk (Volume 3, Issue 2, 2008), the quarterly newsletter of Aculabs. Background Since UTI is very common among the geriatric population and can cause serious complications, urinalysis and urine cultures contribute vital information regarding a patient’s state of health and acts as a guide in the physician’s clinical decision regarding treatment. Evaluation
Originally published in LabTalk (Volume 3, Issue 1, 2008), the quarterly newsletter of Aculabs. Diabetes is a chronic illness in which the body does not properly use or produce insulin; more than 7% or an estimated 20.8 million in the Unites States have diabetes, and almost one third are unaware that they have the disease.
Originally published in LabTalk (Volume 2, Issue 4, 2007), the quarterly newsletter of Aculabs. Thyroid dysfunction is one of the most encountered problems in clinical practice. Adequate diagnosis and management require a thorough knowledge of the change in the thyroid function with age, and the effect of the Non-Thyroidal Illness (NTI) on laboratory results. Many