Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, clinical laboratory professionals have been working on the frontlines of developing, validating, and performing tests for the novel coronavirus. We have also been collaborating closely with providers to ensure that COVID-19 patients get the right test results at the right time. In this video series, AACC’s leading laboratory experts discuss the most common testing issues that we have tackled together with clinicians, in the hopes of helping providers find solutions to these challenges

 Interpreting Test Results for COVID-19

When determining whether a patient has COVID-19, it is essential to assess the individual’s complete clinical picture and not to rely solely on whether the patient’s test is positive or negative.

 Avoiding Preanalytical Problems in COVID-19 Testing

The majority of errors in laboratory testing come from the preanalytical phase of testing, which is everything that happens before a patient sample gets to the lab. Learn more about how these errors impact COVID-19 testing specifically and what can be done to mitigate them.

 Understanding Regulations for Point-of-Care COVID-19 Testing

If as a physician you are planning to adopt point-of-care COVID-19 testing in your office, take a few minutes to brush up on how to avoid both regulatory and quality pitfalls with these tests.

 Potential Issues with At-Home Sample Collection for COVID-19 Tests

Learn more about the pros and cons of at-home sample collection for COVID-19 testing so that you can make an informed decision about whether or not to order these home kits for your patients.

 COVID-19 Testing Explainer: Sensitivity, Specificity, and Predictive Values

Diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values are all important metrics that are used to evaluate the performance of laboratory tests, and that can help you to gauge how reliable a COVID-19 test result is in your local patient population.