Physician's Office Consulting

12/30/2019

As any laboratorian knows, laboratory testing plays a critical role in healthcare. Laboratorians are in a prime position to streamline and simplify healthcare with a focus on the patient and their needs.

Patient-Centered Care Awareness Month is recognized every year in October. It is an international campaign to bring awareness to the importance of centering the patient in health care and to encourage health care organizations and providers to continue working towards making patient-centered care th...

12/23/2019

We in the laboratory are keenly aware of the need for hand washing in dealing with patients and during performance of activities involving potentially infectious materials. In fact, in the collection of a blood sample, the hands should be washed before applying gloves, and after gloves are removed, the hands again should be washed.

Recently the CDC launched Life is Better with Clean Hands campaign. The goal of the campaign is to provide motivation for us all to make handwashing part of everyday life.

07/15/2019

Each year, rabies causes approximately 59,000 deaths throughout the world and, fortunately for the US, only 1 – 3 deaths are reported annually. The infection is transmitted through saliva most commonly from the bite or scratch of an infected animal.

Rabies causes approximately 59,000 deaths annually around the world. The infection is transmitted commonly from the bite or scratch of an infected animal.

07/13/2019

It is that time of year when families and friends visit public swimming pools and water parks for swimming and recreation. There may be unnoticeable risks associated with these types of recreation.

It is that time of year when families and friends visit public swimming pools and water parks for swimming and recreation. CDC warns ….. Beware!

04/30/2019

CMS acknowledged that there would probably be an increased cost to laboratories to comply with the new regulations; however, in view of the extensive use of these analytes and in the best interest of patient care, they and most in the laboratory community recognized the necessity of these changes.

On February 1, 2019, CMS and CDC published proposed rules to update the CLIA Proficiency Testing Regulations. The PT Regulations had not been updated since first enacted in 1992.

02/07/2019

Across the United States, we saw a significant increase in the number of reported influenza cases during the last week of December.

Across the United States we saw a significant increase in the number of reported influenza cases during the last week of December.

01/13/2019

It’s time for your computer network to start adulting

12/19/2018

With last year’s flu season being one of the worst in many years, it is timely that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved the first novel treatment for the flu in almost 20 years. Having another tool to combat the virus is paramount. Which accounts for the FDA giving it priority review and expediting the approval process.

Seasonal flu varies year-to-year but can be quite deadly. Last season with at least 80,000 deaths in the United States as a result of the influenza virus. A newly approved drug targets the virus at an earlier stage in its development in the human body in the hopes of lessening recovery time.

10/19/2018

October is “National Protect Your Hearing” month designed to bring light and raise awareness about what is needed to protect your hearing. Repeated exposure can do long-term damage to your hearing – long after the exposure has stopped.

Recently the CDC released an article discussing hearing loss and the permanent damage that can be done from many everyday activities. Obviously, participation in loud sporting events, music concerts, and the use of power tools will cause damage when repeated over time. About 70% of people exposed to...

10/12/2018

Safety tips including proper dress, laser safety, and housekeeping rules.

We list some of the most common lab safety rules out there, to help you whether you’re developing or updating a set of policies for your own lab

09/14/2018

A new blog is up about Laboratory Billing! Great insight for those that work in billing, or those in the healthcare industry in general!

Chief Medical Officer, Dr. John Daly summarized in his online video in August about the current practice of small, financially challenged hospitals that contract with Medical Service Organizations (MSO) to perform laboratory marketing services for the hospital laboratory (referred to as Hospital Out...

09/05/2018

Keep in mind that while Zika infection has not been in the news recently, the mosquitos and virus are still with us. We need to be vigilant and when Zika infected patients again reappear, follow the recommended treatment and monitoring of affected children to give them an optimal chance at a normal life.

Recently the CDC published the evaluation of 1,450 children born to Zika infected mothers in 2016, and who, by February 2018, were at least one-year-old. The findings show 1 in 7 of these children have identified health problems possibly caused by exposure to the virus before their birth.