introduction to the principles of laboratory medicine.pptVIP

Introduction to the Principles of Laboratory Medicine Module 1 What is laboratory medicine? Case Scenario 1 A 77-year old man presents to the emergency department with fevers and chills. He has had multiple urinary tract infections in the past and feels that this is “another one”. He has a history of diabetes mellitus, type 2 with diabetic nephropathy and chronic kidney disease. Physical exam is notable for an ill-appearing man with right flank tenderness. How will the medical laboratory impact this patient’s care? Case Scenario 1Discussion Confirm clinical diagnosis Urinalysis Guide appropriate dosing of antibiotics Dose adjustment for reduced GFR based on variables including serum creatinine Guide selection of appropriate antibiotic therapy With multiple course of treatment in the past there may be issues with antibiotic resistance Photo by Elizabeth Wantuch, MD Call “the lab”…. Today’s clinical laboratory is a complex arena offering an expansive menu of tests which continues to grow Hundreds of millions of laboratory tests are performed every year in the United States Influence of Laboratory Medicine on the quality and cost of healthcare Lab tests consume about 2.3% of annual health care costs in the United States It is noted in the literature that 70% of the objective data in a patient’s medical record comes from the clinical laboratory WHAT is “Laboratory Medicine”? Laboratory medicine (clinical pathology) is the medical discipline that specializes in the performance, reporting and interpretation of clinical laboratory tests in the provision of high quality patient care WHO is “Laboratory Medicine” Comprised of pathologists, doctoral-level laboratory scientists, technologists, and technicians The laboratory medicine workforce has a vital role in the health care system managing and applying evidence-based, scientific testing techniques to support patient care The specific types of clinical laboratories in health care institutions varies greatly fr