*Please note that this program schedule is subject to change.
Day 1 – Friday, October 20, 2023
Registration/Breakfast | 7:30 – 8:30 a.m.
Opening Keynote | 8:30 – 9:30 a.m.
Moderator: Chris Farnsworth, PhD, DABCC | Washington University in St. Louis
Working with Nursing to Improve Specimen Quality
Eugenio Zabaleta, PhD | OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital
Session 1: Preanalytical Informatics and Ordering | 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Moderator: Sarah Wheeler, PhD | University of Pittsburgh
Learn the informatics components that lead to improved preanalytical processes from ordering until testing. Speakers will provide best practices, tools, and approaches that can be implemented in common informatics infrastructures to improve: ordering, point-of-care testing preanalytical concerns, and tying together the full preanalytical informatics pipeline. Speakers will emphasize changes and best practices that are possible with existing systems. The session will close with a panel discussion.
Working With the System You Have: Strategies to Improve Laboratory Stewardship
Jane Dickerson, PhD, DABCC | Seattle Children's Hospital
Utilizing Information Technology Tools in Point-of-Care Testing to Improve Patient Care
Edward Leung, PhD, DABCC, FADLM | Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Revolutionizing the Preanalytical Phase: Leveraging Informatics for Quality Improvement
Darci Block, PhD, DABCC | Mayo Clinic
Panel Discussion
AM Break and Poster Walkthrough | 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Take a break and check out the posters on various phases of the preanalytical phase cycle. Submit your abstracts here.
Breakout 1 | 12:00 – 12:30 p.m.
Concurrent interactive breakout sessions facilitated by faculty on the program.
Case-Based Approaches to Solving Preanalytical Failures
Joe El-Khoury, PhD, DABCC, FADLM | Yale University
Quality Metrics to Improve Preanalytical Failures in Pediatrics
Amy Pyle-Eilola, PhD | Nationwide Children's Hospital
Sustainable Specimen Transport Solutions
Joe Wiencek, PhD, DABCC, FADLM | Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Competency Assessment for Lab Phlebotomist Versus Non-Lab
Eugenio Zabaleta, PhD | OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital
Lunch/Networking Break | 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Optional Sponsored Lunch-and-Learn | 12:45 – 1:15 p.m.
Bring your lunch to the optional sponsored Lunch-and-Learn.
The Future of Blood Collection: Trends, Challenges & Opportunities for Capillary Collection
Arun Nair, PhD | BD Life Sciences-Integrated Diagnostic Systems
Due to challenges with current capillary blood collection methods, capillary blood is not widely used for traditional blood testing. Capillary blood collection is often cumbersome and lacks consistency due to the inability to control the amount of pressure applied to the patient finger, often resulting in poor sample quality (i.e., hemolysis and dilution of the sample with interstitial fluid). Standardization of the capillary collection process could enable blood collection in a variety of non-traditional healthcare settings that provide convenience and accessibility for patients. This shift to new healthcare settings can transform the way patient care is delivered and managed. In this session, we will discuss current challenges with capillary collection and areas where innovation can standardize collection practices and improve sample quality.
Breakout 2 | 1:30 – 2:00 p.m.
Concurrent interactive breakout sessions facilitated by faculty on the program.
To Delta Check or Not Delta Check?
Darci Block, PhD, DABCC | Mayo Clinic
Sharing Successes/Failures With Clinical Decision Support
Jane Dickerson, PhD, DABCC | Seattle Children's Hospital
Methods for Limiting the Preanalytical Impact of Internal Transport on Patient Specimens
Chris Farnsworth, PhD, DABCC | Washington University in St. Louis
Storyboarding E-Learning Modules to Educate Nurses/Non-laboratory Staff
Reid Rosehill, MS, MT (ASCP) | UCSF Medical Center
Session 2: Focus on Sample Collection and Transportation | 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Moderator: Joe El-Khoury, PhD, DABCC, FADLM | Yale University
In this session, speakers will review the latest science and best practice guidelines on sample collection and transportation to the clinical laboratory. From learning best practices to collect blood while avoiding hemolysis and contamination, to proper dried blood spot collections and appropriately transporting these samples to the laboratory via pneumatic tube systems, robots, drones or couriers. Speakers will also provide key recommendations to help improve the overall process of collecting and getting that sample to your laboratory. The session will close with a panel discussion.
Reducing Specimen Hemolysis and Blood Culture Contamination in the Emergency Department Through Automated Collector Evaluations
Mark Zaydman, MD, PhD | Washington University in St. Louis
Dried Blood Spots: A New Sample Type for Clinical Microbiology?
Elitza Theel, PhD, ABMM | Mayo Clinic
On the Trail of External Specimen Transport Guidance: A CLSI Document Update
Joe Wiencek, PhD, DABCC, FADLM | Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Panel Discussion
Breakout 3 | 4:00 – 4:30 p.m.
Concurrent interactive breakout sessions facilitated by faculty on the program.
What Can Laboratorians Employ to Detect Contamination in Specimens Submitted for Chemistry, Hematology, or Coagulation Testing?
Anna Merrill, PhD, DABCC | University of Iowa
Bottlenecks in Pursuing At-home and DBS Collection
Elitza Theel, PhD, ABMM | Mayo Clinic
Chris Farnsworth, PhD, DABCC | Washington University in St. Louis
Speedy Solvers
Sarah Wheeler, PhD | University of Pittsburgh
Reception and Poster Walkthrough | 4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Finish day one of the conference by networking with your colleagues and exploring posters on various phases of the preanalytical phase cycle. Submit your abstracts here.
Day 2 – Saturday, October 21, 2023
Breakfast | 7:30 – 8:30 a.m.
Sponsored Educational Symposium | 8:30 – 9:30 a.m.
From Gel to Mechanical Separator: Implementation of New Blood Collection Tubes in a Large Tertiary Care Centre
Jennifer Shea, PhD, FCACB | Horizon Health Network
In this session, the speaker will provide an overview of the implementation of a novel blood collection tube for routine chemistry testing that utilizes a mechanical separator to separate plasma from the cellular components of blood. A summary of the various validation experiments that were performed will be provided followed by an in-depth discussion of all the logistic and operational considerations that had been considered when making such a large change in practice. The speaker will conclude with a summary of the lessons learned from this project.
Session 3: Laboratory Optimization | 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Moderator: Amy Pyle-Eilola, PhD | Nationwide Children's Hospital
Learn how to get the most out of your lab by optimizing operations. This session will cover pre-automation, total laboratory automation, and how to extend HIL indices so you can reject fewer samples. Speakers will share their own experiences and practical tips for your laboratories. The session will close with a panel discussion.
Pre-Automation in Lab: A Case Study in Increasing Auto-Receive Rate
Reid Rosehill, MS, MT (ASCP) | UCSF Medical Center
Total Lab Automation: Has It Lived Up to the Hype?
Ann Gronowski, PhD, DABCC | Washington University School of Medicine
What the HIL?!? Refining Vendor Claims to Maximize Reporting Without Sacrificing Quality
Anna Merrill, PhD, DABCC | University of Iowa
Panel Discussion
Break | 11:30 – 11:45 a.m.
Breakout 4 | 11:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Concurrent interactive breakout sessions facilitated by faculty on the program.
What Would Effective Lab Automation Look Like?
Ann Gronowski, PhD, DABCC | Washington University School of Medicine
Are You Leveraging IT Tools in Your POCT Program? How Do You Get to a Robust and Sustainable Process?
Edward Leung, PhD, DABCC, FADLM | Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Best Practices Preventing Hemolysis During Specimen Collection
Mark Zaydman, MD, PhD | Washington University in St. Louis
Closing Keynote | 12:15 – 1:15 p.m.
Moderator: Chris Farnsworth, PhD, DABCC | Washington University in St. Louis
Preanalytics and Non-traditional Collection Environments: The Role of the Lab in Underserved Communities
Karissa Culbreath, PhD, D(ABMM) | TriCore Reference Laboratories