Qa Issues in Clinical Toxicology

From The Critics

Reviewer: Robert H. Williams, PhD, DABCC, FAC(University of Illinois at Chicago)
Description: This is an interesting and informative monograph on quality control and assurance issues related to the laboratory practice of clinical toxicology, particularly in the area of drug screening. The book expresses the views of several experts who are members of the Therapeutic Drug Monitoring and Clinical Toxicology Division of the American Association for Clinical Chemistry.
Purpose: The purpose is to describe practical approaches to ensure accuracy of test results (using predictive value theory), handle quality controls issues (especially with qualitative assays), and provide an update on regulatory issues that will affect inspection of laboratories accredited by the College of American Pathologists. The book also addresses potential medicolegal issues encountered by the laboratory that often arise, yet are overlooked, in the practice of clinical toxicology. This is an important and timely topic in view of federal laws that now regulate clinical laboratories.
Audience: The book is intended for physicians, laboratory directors, managers, medical technologists, and other laboratory professionals and educators who provide patient testing in the field of clinical toxicology. The author and contributors are recognized experts in the laboratory practice of toxicology and credible in their respective areas.
Features: The book includes a sufficient number of figures and tables to illustrate key concepts and approaches to improve the quality of test results. The references are pertinent, practical, and up-to-date. A discussion section provides thought-provoking questions and comments related to drug testing in a clinical versus a forensic setting.
Assessment: In general, this is a very useful book for any laboratory practitioner in the field of clinical toxicology. It provides potential solutions to common problems often encountered with drug testing. The book also summarizes changes now required by the College of American Pathologists to address quality control and assurance issues related to patient testing in the clinical toxicology laboratory.

Robert H. Williams

This is an interesting and informative monograph on quality control and assurance issues related to the laboratory practice of clinical toxicology, particularly in the area of drug screening. The book expresses the views of several experts who are members of the Therapeutic Drug Monitoring and Clinical Toxicology Division of the American Association for Clinical Chemistry. The purpose is to describe practical approaches to ensure accuracy of test results (using predictive value theory), handle quality controls issues (especially with qualitative assays), and provide an update on regulatory issues that will affect inspection of laboratories accredited by the College of American Pathologists. The book also addresses potential medicolegal issues encountered by the laboratory that often arise, yet are overlooked, in the practice of clinical toxicology. This is an important and timely topic in view of federal laws that now regulate clinical laboratories. The book is intended for physicians, laboratory directors, managers, medical technologists, and other laboratory professionals and educators who provide patient testing in the field of clinical toxicology. The author and contributors are recognized experts in the laboratory practice of toxicology and credible in their respective areas. The book includes a sufficient number of figures and tables to illustrate key concepts and approaches to improve the quality of test results. The references are pertinent, practical, and up-to-date. A discussion section provides thought-provoking questions and comments related to drug testing in a clinical versus a forensic setting. In general, this is a very useful book for any laboratory practitioner inthe field of clinical toxicology. It provides potential solutions to common problems often encountered with drug testing. The book also summarizes changes now required by the College of American Pathologists to address quality control and assurance issues related to patient testing in the clinical toxicology laboratory.

4 Stars! from Doody