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Develop Compliant IQCPs
By Luann Ochs, MS

In less than 1 year, on January 1, 2016, the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) equivalent quality control (EQC) options will no longer be allowed. As of that date, laboratories must revert to the traditional CLIA quality control (QC) requirements or have in place individualized quality control plans (IQCPs) for their laboratory tests. IQCPs are optional; laboratories will be allowed to revert to traditional QC for every test, but for laboratories that want to take advantage of electronic or integrated controls, or consider other ways to reduce laboratory errors, preparing IQCPs will be the only allowable alternative to traditional QC. CLICK HERE to find out how to start preparing for the changes in these requirements, so you can have IQCPs in place for 2015 inspections, prior to the cessation of the EQC options.


Do You Know . . .
Although the terms document and record often are used interchangeably, they are, in fact, distinctly different. Read Robust Document and Record Management By Jennifer Dawson, MHA, DLM(ASCP)CMSLS, QIHC, to find out more.


Editor's Pick


Cervical Cancer Screening: Pap Versus HPV Testing
Q&A with Mark H. Stoler, MD, University of Virginia School of Medicine

Historically, screening with the Pap test has been highly effective in reducing the incidence and morbidity of cervical cancer. However, after 60 years, the prevalence of the disease in the United States has declined to a point where the Pap test’s predictive value is weakening, as compared with when there were many more women with the disease.

The prevalence of cervical cancer in screened populations has declined from approximately 10 percent to 1 percent. The Pap test’s sensitivity (50 to 80 percent) and specificity (85 to 95 percent) have not changed, but as the prevalence of cervical cancer has declined, physicians and patients are less reassured by a negative result—the most important function of screening—and the positive predictive value of a positive test erodes. A test with higher sensitivity is needed in order for the negative and positive predictive values to remain within a range in which clinicians and patients will trust and use the test. CLICK HERE to read more.


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