CLSI and APHL Announce New Teleconference Series.

Optimize the Use of CLSI Documents in Clinical and Public Health Laboratories

WAYNE, Pa. -- The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) and the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) have announced a joint venture to present educational programs to clinical and public health laboratories. Programs are based on current CLSI documents and are intended to help pathologists, managers, supervisors, and technologists learn how to optimize use of these documents in their laboratories.

Teleconference session titles for January through June include:

* How Can the Newest CLSI Documents Help You?

* The 2008 CLSI Standard for Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing

* Following a Quality Systems Approach

* New Standard for Blood Collection on Filter Paper

* Incorporating Good Laboratory Practice Into Your Instruction

* New CLSI Consensus Recommendations for Blood Cultures

* An Integrated Approach to Body Fluid Analysis

* Using Proficiency Testing to Improve Laboratory Practices

CLSI volunteer Janet F. Hindler, MCLS, MT(ASCP), Senior Specialist, Clinical Microbiology, UCLA Medical Center, will speak at The 2008 CLSI Standard for Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing on 23 and 24 January 2008, describing the changes in the newly released M100-S18. Susan M. Novak-Weekley, PhD, Director of Microbiology, SCPMG Regional Reference Laboratories, says, "Janet Hindler is an excellent, knowledgeable speaker on susceptibility testing in the clinical microbiology laboratory. Her lectures on CLSI standards are a must for the clinical bacteriologist because she gives up-to-date information, summaries of CLSI changes, and real life examples of susceptibility issues encountered in the clinical laboratory, and she describes how to respond to those issues." She adds, "Janet Hindler's CLSI update is the most useful teleconference that my staff and I attend every year."

Teleconference sessions provide an opportunity for health care professionals to delve into the practical use of CLSI documents across many disciplines.

Participants will learn how to:

* Facilitate/streamline laboratory operations and ensure quality patient care

* Optimize detection and reporting of antimicrobial resistance

* Design the foundation necessary to achieve total quality management

* Ensure high-quality newborn screening specimens

* Integrate CLSI standards into the content of laboratory and didactic instruction

* Collect, transport, and process blood cultures

* Evaluate components of laboratory testing on body fluids

* Describe the use of proficiency testing as a quality improvement tool

"CLSI is committed to helping clinical and public health professionals implement CLSI documents into their daily work," says CLSI Executive Vice President Glen Fine. "The partnership with APHL provides the ideal forum to extend the reach of CLSI documents directly to our customers."

For teleconference session details and to register, visit http://www.aphl.org/courses/Pages/CLSI_2008.aspx.

About APHL

The Association of Public Health Laboratories works with members to strengthen laboratories serving the public's health. By promoting effective programs and public policy, APHL strives to provide public health laboratories with the resources to protect the health of US residents and to prevent and control disease globally. For more information, visit www.aphl.org.

About CLSI

CLSI, formerly NCCLS, is a global, nonprofit, membership-based organization dedicated to developing standards and guidelines for the health care and medical testing community. CLSI's unique consensus process facilitates the creation of standards and guidelines that are reliable, practical, and achievable for an effective quality system. For more information, visit www.clsi.org or call +610.688.0100.