Laboratory Capacity to Detect Antimicrobial Resistance, 1998

Article Abstract:

Many microbiology laboratories are not testing Staphylococcus aureus strains for resistance to the antibiotic vancomycin. In a survey of 369 microbiology laboratories that participate in the Active Bacterial Core Surveillance (ABCs)/Emerging Infections Program (EIP) Network, about 40% did not test Staphylococcus aureus strains for reduced susceptibility to vancomycin. Even fewer tested Enterobacteriaceae for the production of extended spectrum beta-lactamases, which make the bacteria resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics. Smaller hospital-based laboratories, managed-care-based laboratories, and laboratories from specific ABCs/EIP state locations did not report testing for these resistant organisms.

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Misdiagnosis of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis possibly due to laboratory-related errors

Article Abstract:

Laboratories that test specimens from patients with tuberculosis (TB) should be standardized. Many laboratories test for strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis that are resistant to many drugs. These multidrug-resistant strains are more difficult to treat so it is critical to diagnose them correctly. However, researchers found that 9 out of 70 samples from patients diagnosed with multidrug-resistant TB were diagnostic errors. Causes for misdiagnosis can include contamination of samples, specimen mislabeling and human error.

Analysis, Diagnosis, Diagnostic errors, Tuberculosis

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Are physicians' office laboratory results of comparable quality to those produced in other laboratory settings?

Article Abstract:

Many laboratories in physicians' offices may not be performing as well as traditional labs when analyzing specimen samples. Labs in physicians' offices can analyze samples more quickly using machines that automate much of the process. A survey of 1,110 California labs found that three times as many physicians' office labs (POLs) performed unsatisfactorily compared to traditional labs in hospitals and independent labs. POLs that had qualified medical technicians were more likely to perform satisfactorily.

Services, Medical offices, Performance (Law)

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