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ARUP Laboratories

LabMind

A Life Sciences and Science podcast

#147 in Life Sciences · 🇳🇿
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About the show

Join Dr. Jon Genzen, professor of pathology with the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah and chief medical officer at ARUP Laboratories, as he explores the people, ideas, and innovations that shape the clinical lab community.

Newest episodes

An Interview With Dr. Joseph Vassalotti: Laboratory Testing and the Future of Kidney Disease

40 min

Kidney disease affects more than one in seven adults in the United States, but for many patients, the first signs of trouble emerge not from their symptoms but from their laboratory test results. That makes the laboratory a critical starting point for earlier detection, intervention, and better kidney health. In this episode of LabMind, Joseph Vassalotti, MD, clinical professor of Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and chief medical officer of the National Kidney Foundation, joins us to discuss how laboratory testing and advances in screening are changing the approach to kidney disease and why patient advocacy is an essential part of improving kidney care.

An Interview With Dr. Alan Remaley, Dr. Anna Wolska, and Maureen Sampson: Advancing LDL-C Calculation With Modern Equations

43 min

The Friedewald equation has been the standard method for estimating low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) for more than 50 years. However, newer equations can reduce the negative bias that may occur at high triglyceride concentrations or low LDL-C levels, improving the accuracy in cardiovascular disease risk assessment. But if newer calculations are available, why haven't they been adopted more broadly? This episode of LabMind features three scientists from the National Institutes of Health (NIH): Alan Remaley, MD, PhD, FAHA, senior investigator in the Lipoprotein Metabolism Laboratory at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; Anna Wolska, MS, PhD, FAHA, associate scientist in the Lipoprotein Metabolism Laboratory, and Maureen Sampson, BSMT(ASCP), research clinical laboratory scientist in the Chemistry Service of the Department of Laboratory Medicine at the NIH Clinical Center. They joined us to discuss the evolution of LDL-C estimates and the opportunities associated with implementing newer equations in clinical laboratories. Listen in for an insightful conversation on how advances in lipid testing can improve the assessment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk. Related Information: DPYD Genotype-Guided Fluoropyrimidine Dosing: FDA and NCCN Updates to Guide 5-FU and Capecitabine Dosing for Oncologists [https://arup.utah.edu/education/nelson-dpyd-2026]William Friedewald on The Friedewald Equation [https://web.archive.org/web/20171121060358/www.epi.umn.edu/cvdepi/essay/william-friedewald-on-the-friedewald-equation/]2026 ACC/AHA Guideline on the Management of Dyslipidemia [https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001423]A Modified Sampson-NIH Equation with Improved Accuracy for Estimating Low Levels of Low-Density Lipoprotein-Cholesterol [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40629956/]

An Interview With Dr. Ryan Nelson: Using Pharmacogenetics To Minimize Toxicity With Chemotherapy

42 min

A single genetic variant can make the difference between effective cancer treatment and life-threatening toxicity. In this episode of LabMind, Ryan Nelson, PharmD, medical director of Precision Medicine at ARUP Laboratories and adjunct professor at the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah, shares how a growing movement led by patient advocates, researchers, healthcare organizations, and regulators has driven critical updates to guidelines for prescribing fluoropyrimidines, a major class of chemotherapy drugs. Tune in to learn why pharmacogenetic testing is becoming an important tool in cancer care, helping clinicians identify at-risk patients, reduce serious adverse events, and deliver safer, more cost-effective treatments.   Related Information: FDA: Safety Labeling Update: Capecitabine and Fluorouracil (5-FU), Risks Associated With DPD Deficiency. 2026. fda.govFDA: VISTOGARD (uridine triacetate) Prescribing Information. 2015.NCCN: Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology: Colon Cancer, v5.2025 (Oct 30, 2025).Nelson R, Shaaban S. DPYD Pretreatment Testing Updates: Guide for Oncologists. ARUP Laboratories, 2026.Deenen MJ, et al. Upfront Genotyping of DPYD*2A to Individualize Fluoropyrimidine Therapy. J Clin Oncol. 2016;34(3):227-234. doi:10.1200/JCO.2015.63.1325Henricks LM, et al. DPYD genotype-guided dose individualisation of fluoropyrimidine therapy. Lancet Oncol. 2018;19(11):1459-1467. doi:10.1016/S1470-2045(18)30686-7Knikman JE, et al. Survival With DPYD Variant Alleles and Dose-Individualized. Therapy. J Clin Oncol. 2023;41(35):5411-5421. doi:10.1200/JCO.22.02780

Similar podcasts

All episodes

An Interview With Dr. Joseph Vassalotti: Laboratory Testing and the Future of Kidney Disease

40 min

Kidney disease affects more than one in seven adults in the United States, but for many patients, the first signs of trouble emerge not from their symptoms but from their laboratory test results. That makes the laboratory a critical starting point for earlier detection, intervention, and better kidney health. In this episode of LabMind, Joseph Vassalotti, MD, clinical professor of Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and chief medical officer of the National Kidney Foundation, joins us to discuss how laboratory testing and advances in screening are changing the approach to kidney disease and why patient advocacy is an essential part of improving kidney care.

An Interview With Dr. Alan Remaley, Dr. Anna Wolska, and Maureen Sampson: Advancing LDL-C Calculation With Modern Equations

43 min

The Friedewald equation has been the standard method for estimating low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) for more than 50 years. However, newer equations can reduce the negative bias that may occur at high triglyceride concentrations or low LDL-C levels, improving the accuracy in cardiovascular disease risk assessment. But if newer calculations are available, why haven't they been adopted more broadly? This episode of LabMind features three scientists from the National Institutes of Health (NIH): Alan Remaley, MD, PhD, FAHA, senior investigator in the Lipoprotein Metabolism Laboratory at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; Anna Wolska, MS, PhD, FAHA, associate scientist in the Lipoprotein Metabolism Laboratory, and Maureen Sampson, BSMT(ASCP), research clinical laboratory scientist in the Chemistry Service of the Department of Laboratory Medicine at the NIH Clinical Center. They joined us to discuss the evolution of LDL-C estimates and the opportunities associated with implementing newer equations in clinical laboratories. Listen in for an insightful conversation on how advances in lipid testing can improve the assessment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk. Related Information: DPYD Genotype-Guided Fluoropyrimidine Dosing: FDA and NCCN Updates to Guide 5-FU and Capecitabine Dosing for Oncologists [https://arup.utah.edu/education/nelson-dpyd-2026]William Friedewald on The Friedewald Equation [https://web.archive.org/web/20171121060358/www.epi.umn.edu/cvdepi/essay/william-friedewald-on-the-friedewald-equation/]2026 ACC/AHA Guideline on the Management of Dyslipidemia [https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001423]A Modified Sampson-NIH Equation with Improved Accuracy for Estimating Low Levels of Low-Density Lipoprotein-Cholesterol [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40629956/]

An Interview With Dr. Ryan Nelson: Using Pharmacogenetics To Minimize Toxicity With Chemotherapy

42 min

A single genetic variant can make the difference between effective cancer treatment and life-threatening toxicity. In this episode of LabMind, Ryan Nelson, PharmD, medical director of Precision Medicine at ARUP Laboratories and adjunct professor at the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah, shares how a growing movement led by patient advocates, researchers, healthcare organizations, and regulators has driven critical updates to guidelines for prescribing fluoropyrimidines, a major class of chemotherapy drugs. Tune in to learn why pharmacogenetic testing is becoming an important tool in cancer care, helping clinicians identify at-risk patients, reduce serious adverse events, and deliver safer, more cost-effective treatments.   Related Information: FDA: Safety Labeling Update: Capecitabine and Fluorouracil (5-FU), Risks Associated With DPD Deficiency. 2026. fda.govFDA: VISTOGARD (uridine triacetate) Prescribing Information. 2015.NCCN: Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology: Colon Cancer, v5.2025 (Oct 30, 2025).Nelson R, Shaaban S. DPYD Pretreatment Testing Updates: Guide for Oncologists. ARUP Laboratories, 2026.Deenen MJ, et al. Upfront Genotyping of DPYD*2A to Individualize Fluoropyrimidine Therapy. J Clin Oncol. 2016;34(3):227-234. doi:10.1200/JCO.2015.63.1325Henricks LM, et al. DPYD genotype-guided dose individualisation of fluoropyrimidine therapy. Lancet Oncol. 2018;19(11):1459-1467. doi:10.1016/S1470-2045(18)30686-7Knikman JE, et al. Survival With DPYD Variant Alleles and Dose-Individualized. Therapy. J Clin Oncol. 2023;41(35):5411-5421. doi:10.1200/JCO.22.02780

An Interview With Ashley Zarling: Navigating the Complex World of Laboratory Billing

51 min

Laboratory billing is a complex and often challenging aspect of healthcare, yet appropriate reimbursement is essential to sustain operations and support high-quality patient care. In this episode of LabMind, Ashley Zarling, director of Business Development and Marketing at Doc Lab, shares practical strategies for developing and maintaining effective laboratory billing solutions. This discussion also explores key trends and emerging challenges in the evolving landscape of laboratory billing and compliance. Join us for an insightful and engaging conversation on this critical, but often underappreciated, component of clinical laboratory operations.

An Interview With Dr. Patricia Slev: Laboratory Evaluation of Vaccine-Induced Immunity

36 min

Vaccination has been at the forefront of public discourse in recent years, yet the role of clinical laboratory testing in evaluating vaccination status has been largely overlooked. In this episode of LabMind, Dr. Patricia Slev, professor of Pathology at the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah, explores how immune response to vaccines can be assessed through clinical laboratory diagnostics. This conversation brings a scientific and personal health perspective to a complex topic, highlighting how evidence-based laboratory medicine can help inform our understanding of this important issue. Join us for this timely and thought-provoking discussion about vaccine-induced immunity. Related Information: To Vaccinate or Not To Vaccinate: A Laboratory Perspective by Patricia R. Slev, PhD, D(ABCC) [https://arup.utah.edu/education/slev-vac-2026.php]

An Interview With Dr. Joe Wiencek: Reducing Waste in Clinical Laboratory Testing

34 min

Clinical laboratories play a critical role in patient care while also generating substantial waste, including single‑use plastics, paper, and e-waste. In this special Lab Week episode of LabMind, we sit down with Dr. Joseph Wiencek, associate professor of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, to explore practical and attainable ways laboratories can reduce their environmental footprint. Dr. Wiencek shares actionable strategies for improving sustainability through laboratory stewardship, recycling initiatives, and effective advocacy without compromising quality or safety. Whether you’re a laboratorian, administrator, or trainee, this conversation offers ideas you can implement immediately. Listen in as we rethink waste in the clinical laboratory and consider how you can contribute to a more sustainable future in laboratory medicine.   Related Information: Estimated Waste Generation From 1 Million Basic Metabolic Panels: A Multisite U.S. Study [hyperlinked to: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41048040/]Potential Savings of Two Practical Interventions on Vitamin D Ordering Practices at a Large Academic Medical Center [hyperlinked to: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41140116/]

An Interview With Drs. LaShanta Brice, Melody Nelson, and Kacy Peterson: How the DCLS Adds Value and Laboratory Leadership

41 min

The doctorate in clinical laboratory science (DCLS) is designed to address critical practice needs involving high-complexity CLIA laboratory directorships and effective laboratory representation with clinical services across the health system. This episode of LabMind features guests Dr. LaShanta Brice, scientific engagement and clinical education scientist at Diagnostica Stago, Dr. Melody Nelson, assistant clinical professor in the Department of Pathology at the University of Kansas Medical Center, and Dr. Kacy Peterson, director of laboratory optimization and clinical integration and laboratory service line administrator at Avera Health. They join us to discuss their laboratory careers, the value of the DCLS degree, and the ways the degree has helped to empower their laboratory, clinical, and scientific leadership across different practice settings.

An Interview With Drs. Christine Cliatt Brown and Heather Nelson: Diagnostic Testing and Therapeutics Making a Difference for Patients With Alzheimer’s Disease

47 min

New blood-based tests for Alzheimer's disease (AD) are advancing and reshaping how this devastating disorder is detected and treated. In this episode, Dr. Christine Cliatt Brown, assistant professor in the division of Cognitive Neurology at the University of Utah, and Dr. Heather Nelson, assistant professor in the department of Pathology at the University of Utah and medical director of Clinical Chemistry and Mass Spectrometry at ARUP Laboratories, discuss how emerging diagnostics are transforming the diagnosis and management of AD. Together, they explore how collaboration across clinical and laboratory disciplines can accelerate diagnostic innovation and support advances in patient care. Related Information: Plasma-Based Diagnostics for Alzheimer’s Disease: Current State and Clinical Relevance of pTau 217 [aruplab.com/pTau217-2026]

An Interview With Danny Diaz: The Power of Resilience

34 min

Change is the new constant—especially in clinical laboratories and healthcare organizations. In this episode of LabMind, Danny Diaz, senior director of Clinical Application Services at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, shares why resilience is more than a buzzword—it’s an imperative. As he explores his own career journey, Diaz offers practical strategies for building networks, advancing ideas, advocating for yourself, and driving meaningful transformation. Related Information: When Uncertainty Knocks: How To Regain Control and Reclaim Confidence https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/when-uncertainty-knocks-how-regain-control-reclaim-confidence-diaz-hn6we/?trackingId=XcqMp8lVT6upzDtJUH%2Fnfg%3D%3D

An Interview With Dr. Kelly Doyle: Detecting G6PD Deficiency in Children

34 min

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is a genetic condition that can lead to life-threatening hemolysis in both children and adults. Early and accurate diagnosis is critical, but identifying G6PD deficiency in newborns and young children isn’t always straightforward—most reference intervals are based on adult values, which don’t necessarily apply to pediatric patients. In this interview, Dr. Kelly Doyle, an ARUP medical director of Special Chemistry, Endocrinology, and Mass Spectrometry, shares insights from novel methods to establish pediatric-specific reference intervals. Using an innovative indirect approach and a large dataset of patient results, Dr. Doyle explains how these new standards can improve diagnosis and care for children worldwide.  Related Information: Webinar: Development of Pediatric G6PD Reference Intervals Through Integration of Indirect Methods and Molecular Data https://arup.utah.edu/education/doyle-g6pd-2025.php

An Interview With Dr. Brian Jackson: The LabMind Journey

39 min

After seven years and almost 100 episodes of LabMind recorded, Dr. Brian Jackson, former medical director at ARUP Laboratories and faculty with the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah, has moved into a new clinical laboratory leadership position at the University of Maryland—leaving the podcast mic behind for a clinical challenge he always knew he wanted to take in his career. During Dr. Jackson’s final episode, he shares his thoughts on a variety of topics, including the state of U.S. healthcare and the contributions of pathology, while also reflecting on his time hosting this podcast.    Related Information: • LabMind - An Interview With Dr. Carl Kjeldsberg (Part I): Founding and the Early Shaping of ARUP https://arup.utah.edu/education/podcasts/labmindEp2.php • LabMind - An Interview With Dr. Carl Kjeldsberg (Part II): Scaling ARUP into a Mature Company https://arup.utah.edu/education/podcasts/labmindEp3.php • LabMind - An Interview With Lab Superheroes: Stories of Ingenuity, Creativity, and Grit (Part II) https://arup.utah.edu/education/podcasts/labmindEp50.php • LabMind - An Interview With Rick Panning: How Laboratories Can Reduce the Total Cost of Care https://arup.utah.edu/education/podcasts/labmindEp36.php

An Interview With Dr. Shaiba Ansari-Ali: Resilience in Medicine and in Life

43 min

In 2016, Dr. Shaiba Ansari-Ali, a rheumatologist with Northwestern Medicine, experienced a near-fatal stroke that was followed by a misdiagnosed case of sepsis. In this interview, she explains how her positivity and tenacity were key to her successful rehabilitation and recovery, and she illustrates how this experience has made her a better physician despite her physical limitations. Related Information: YouTube Series: “Mansplaining Medicine” (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkpqin9U2WgT423DqJo2guQwould) Book: “When the Doctor Has a Stroke: (How I recovered, and you can too)” (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08LNLCLF9/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_G68R6WEVAJEPMFJFY2CP?skipTwisterOG=1)

An Interview With Cherise Shockley: How Laboratory Data Can Empower Patients

39 min

As laboratory professionals, we’re often focused on our critical role as part of the healthcare team in delivering results to providers. But, do we ever stop and think about the power laboratory data can have in the hands of the patients themselves? In this interview, Cherise Shockley, a diabetes social media advocate, describes her experience being diagnosed with an under-recognized form of diabetes and shares how her continuous glucose monitor (CGM) and laboratory test results have helped her take control of her disease and her life.

An Interview With Dr. Benjamin Bradley: The Central Role of Clinical Laboratories in Controlling Emerging Pathogens

40 min

Whenever a new infectious disease enters the scene (or reenters, as in the case of measles), developing precise and accurate diagnostic tests as quickly as possible is critical. In this interview, Dr. Ben Bradley, ARUP medical director of the Institute for Research and Innovation in Infectious Disease Genomic Technologies, High Consequence Pathogen Response, Virology, and Molecular Infectious Diseases, describes various challenges in rapidly setting up and maintaining testing capacity for these kinds of diseases and why we need collaboration between academic, clinical, and public health labs. Webinar: Emerging Viral Diseases: A 2025 Update for Laboratorians [https://arup.utah.edu/education/bradley-emergingviral-2025.php]; Measles by Real-Time PCR: A Rapid and Reliable Method for Measles Testing [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZdZDPv-oTw]

An Interview With Dr. Ryan Metcalf: The Art and Science of Creating a Clinical Guideline

44 min

In this age of algorithms, how do we ensure clinical care is both science based and personalized? In this interview, Dr. Ryan Metcalf, section chief of Transfusion Medicine at ARUP Laboratories and University of Utah Health and associate professor of Pathology at the University of Utah School of Medicine, shares the story behind the new platelet transfusion guideline from the Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies (AABB). He describes how the authors addressed patient-specific variation and the inherent uncertainty of scientific evidence.  Related Information:  Platelet Transfusion: 2025 AABB and ICTMG International Clinical Practice Guidelines [https://arup.utah.edu/education/metcalf-platelet-2025.php/]JAMA® Article: Platelet Transfusion: 2025 AABB and ICTMG International Clinical Practice Guidelines [https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2834703]JAMA® Clinical Reviews Podcast: Platelet Transfusion: Best Practice Guidelines [https://edhub.ama-assn.org/jn-learning/audio-player/18977738]

An Interview With Dr. Octavia Peck Palmer: Diversity, Equity, and Personalized Medicine

43 min

Health equity and personalized medicine share a common goal: tailoring care to the needs of each individual. In this interview, Dr. Octavia Peck Palmer from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, immediate past president of ADLM, explains how diversity is foundational to advancing clinical science and improving patient outcomes.

An Interview With Dr. David Fajgenbaum: Embracing the “Ignorome” To Expedite Clinical Science

40 min

After nearly dying from a mysterious disease during medical school, Dr. David Fajgenbaum dedicated his career to breaking down barriers in biomedical research. Fajgenbaum is now an associate professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and cofounder of Every Cure. In this conversation, we discuss his personal diagnostic journey and the errors and delays he encountered along the way. We also explore why academic medicine needs to go beyond generating disparate pieces of scientific knowledge and instead turn that information into nodes on a network that spans specialty silos to speed the discovery of effective treatments.

An Interview With Amanda Openshaw: The Laboratory Is a Mystery Machine of Diagnostics

47 min

Every specimen represents a potential mystery, and laboratory professionals often play the role of detectives. For the 2025 Lab Week episode of LabMind, Amanda Openshaw, a genetic counselor at ARUP, shares examples illustrating the importance of good investigative work in the laboratory to discover accurate diagnoses. 

An Interview With Dr. Qinwen Mao: Why We Need Better Laboratory Tests for Dementia

25 min

Why hasn’t there been more progress in developing therapies for Alzheimer’s disease and related forms of dementia? One reason has been the lack of specific laboratory tests that can properly diagnose and characterize these diseases. In this interview, Dr. Qinwen Mao from the University of Utah describes how her research team is helping to bring new blood and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers into clinical practice to step up the fight against these devastating diseases.  Related Information: Webinar: Innovations in Diagnostics for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (aruplab.com/AlzInnovations) 

An Interview With Dr. Keith Elkins: What Doctors Really Want From Their Clinical Laboratories

34 min

As laboratory professionals, we may think we have a good understanding of how physicians use our services. But how often do we ask them for practical feedback? In this interview, family physician Dr. Keith Elkins shares his perspectives on what clinical laboratories and pathologists do well, and what opportunities they may be overlooking to better support frontline clinical care. 

An Interview With Beverly Rauch: Regulating the Safety and Effectiveness of Clinical Laboratory Testing

33 min

Many people in the healthcare profession know that clinical laboratories are under more rigorous regulatory scrutiny than just about any other area of medicine. What they may not know is that the New York State Department of Health (NY DOH) was the pioneer in laboratory regulation, starting long before the implementation of either the FDA Medical Device Amendments or the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) of 1988. In this interview, Beverly Rauch, MS, director of the NY DOH’s Clinical Laboratory Evaluation Program (NY CLEP), describes its process for granting permits, inspecting laboratories, and approving assays, and what the new FDA LDT rule might mean for the program.

An Interview With Dr. Jenna Rychert: Demystifying Data Analysis for the Clinical Lab

31 min

In this age of ChatGPT, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning, laboratory professionals might think they need to be experts in sophisticated new technology to glean insights from laboratory data. But as ARUP’s medical director of operational informatics Dr. Jenna Rychert points out in this interview, data analysis doesn’t always have to be complicated to provide meaningful value. Related Information: Laboratory-Developed Tests Account for a Small Minority of Tests Ordered in an Academic Hospital System [hyperlinked to: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37265129/ 

An Interview With Dr. Suzanne Dintzis: The Human Side of Pathology’s Digital Transformation

41 min

Anatomic pathology is on the verge of its biggest technologic shift in over a century. Making a smooth transition will require leadership to pay as much attention to the human impact as to the technology itself. In this discussion, Dr. Suzanne Dintzis from the University of Washington explains why hospital and department leaders will need to partner with front-line laboratory professionals and pathologists who perform the day-to-day work. 

An Interview With Dr. Jonathan Genzen: Answering Your Questions About the FDA’s Final Rule on LDTs

43 min

As of September 2024, there remains enormous uncertainty about the FDA’s final rule on laboratory-developed tests (LDTs). Will it hold up in court? Which tests are subject to which requirements? How can laboratories best prepare? In this interview, Dr. Jonathan Genzen, ARUP’s chief medical officer and senior director of governmental affairs, responds to questions sent in by members of the laboratory community.  Related Information:  ARUP Resources on the FDA’s Final Rule on Laboratory-Developed Tests (https://www.aruplab.com/fda-ldt-final-rule)ARUP Webinar--The FDA’s Final Rule on LDTs: What You Need To Know (https://youtu.be/nGQ3sRfWkBg)ARUP Files Declaration to Support Lawsuit Challenging the FDA's Rule to Regulate Lab-Developed Tests (https://www.aruplab.com/news/05-30-2024/arup-files-declaration-support-lawsuit-challenging-fdas-rule) FDA email address for questions on the final rule: (ldtfinalrule@fda.hhs.gov)

An Interview With Dr. Vikas Saini: Creating a More Just, Effective, and Affordable Healthcare System

39 min

Fixing American healthcare will require more than mere tweaks around the edges. Dr. Vikas Saini, president of the Boston-based Lown Institute, believes that it will require a return to medicine’s humanist roots. In this interview he describes some of the ways in which many healthcare organizations prioritize revenue and profit over patients and communities. He also explains why he remains optimistic that Hippocratic principles will ultimately prevail.  Related Information:  Lown Institute (https://lowninstitute.org/)2024 Top Hospitals: America’s Most Socially Responsible Hospitals (https://lownhospitalsindex.org/the-most-socially-responsible-hospitals-in-the-u-s-2024/)2023 Shkreli Awards: The Lown Institute’s Top Ten List of the Worst Examples of Profiteering and Dysfunction in Healthcare (https://lowninstitute.org/projects/2023-shkreli-awards/)

An Interview With Isak Schmidley: What ASCP's Youngest MLS Can Teach Us About Recruiting the Next Generation of Laboratory Scientists

21 min

Clinical laboratories offer great careers, but lack of awareness and other barriers can prevent excellent candidates from pursuing laboratory science professions. In this interview, Isak Schmidley, MLS(ASCP), explains how he first stumbled across medical laboratory science while attending community college in his early teens and then persevered past age stereotypes to land his first hospital laboratory job at the impressive age of 16. He shares advice for laboratory leaders on what his generation expects from employers and tips on how to recruit the next generation. 

An Interview With Dr. Brian Shirts: Preventing Hereditary Cancer Through Genealogy

34 min

Most hereditary cancers, including those associated with BRCA1 mutations and Lynch syndrome, can be prevented through a combination of genetic testing, surveillance, and surgery. Yet only a small minority of eligible individuals currently receive this lifesaving intervention. In this interview, Dr. Brian Shirts, director of the Institute for Public Health Genetics at the University of Washington, discusses a new nonprofit organization that uses family connections to identify individuals at high risk for hereditary cancers and other adult-onset hereditary diseases.  connectmyvariant.org  #connectmyvariant 

An Interview With Dr. Yuan Ji: Bringing Pharmacogenomics Into Mainstream Clinical Practice

39 min

Due to genetic variation, patients metabolize and respond to medications in vastly different ways, so why do most drug therapy regimens continue to be one-size-fits-all? In this interview, Dr. Yuan Ji, ARUP’s section chief of Molecular Genetics and Genomics, discusses how currently available genetic tests can be used to improve both the safety and effectiveness of pharmacotherapy. Related Content: Current Clinical Pharmacogenomic Testing: How Do Clinical Laboratories Stay on Top of Changes to Technologies, Professional Guidelines, and Regulations?   https://arup.utah.edu/education/ji-pharmtest-2024.php 

An Interview With Dr. Jane Dickerson: Building a Professional Community for Laboratory Stewardship

27 min

Since its founding in 2013 at Seattle Children’s Hospital, PLUGS (Patient-Centered Laboratory Utilization Guidance Services) has brought together laboratory professionals, genetic counselors, clinicians, patients, and insurance companies across the country to improve the application of laboratory tests in clinical practice. In this interview, PLUGS cofounder Dr. Jane Dickerson describes some of the ingredients that have contributed to the program’s remarkable success. 

An Interview With Dr. Eddie Stenehjem: What It Means for a Laboratory to Be Part of the Patient Care Team

42 min

Dr. Eddie Stenehjem, Vice Chair of Medicine at the University of Colorado, knows a lot about clinical laboratories. As an infectious disease physician and former cochair of Intermountain Healthcare’s laboratory stewardship committee, he has deep respect for the knowledge and dedication that laboratory professionals bring to patient care. In this interview he discusses why clinician-lab collaboration is vital, and how labs can improve communication and relationships with clinical colleagues. 

An Interview With Dr. Joseph Rudolf: How Will Automation Change Clinical Laboratories?

19 min

There’s plenty of excitement around laboratory automation. But which tasks are good candidates for automation, and which are poor candidates? What risks need to be managed? And what are the implications of automation for lab professionals? In this interview, Dr. Joseph Rudolf, medical director of ARUP’s Automated Core Laboratory, shares his insights along with some predictions for the future.

An Interview With Dr. Karen Moser: Solving Coagulation Mysteries One Patient at a Time

27 min

Diagnosis involves much more than a number on a lab report. This is particularly true when the patient has disordered bleeding or clotting. In this interview, Dr. Karen Moser from the University of Utah Department of Pathology describes some of the ways she works with her laboratory and clinician colleagues to ensure that patients get the answers and the therapies they need. 

An Interview With Nancy Ross: The Human Side of Quality Management

29 min

What does it mean to have a quality culture? Technical competence and strict adherence to protocols are certainly part of the story. But so are factors such as workforce engagement and customer service. In this interview, Nancy Ross, assistant director of clinical pathology and quality at Montefiore Medical System and the founder of Improov, a laboratory improvement consulting company, draws on her diverse career experience to argue for a holistic and people-centered approach to quality management.

An Interview With Dr. Ryan Metcalf: Why Quality Management Is Critical to the Long-Term Success of Healthcare AI

36 min

A public debate is raging around the regulation of artificial intelligence (AI). One side argues that AI is potentially dangerous and needs to be carefully controlled, whereas the other side argues that any regulation would slow innovation. In this interview, Dr. Ryan Metcalf, section chief of Transfusion Medicine and medical director of Transfusion Service/Blood Bank at ARUP Laboratories, makes a strong case for a safety-first approach to healthcare AI. He also explains why embedding AI development and use within a strong quality management framework could actually lead to more innovation over the long term, even as it prevents patient harm in the short term. RELATED INFORMATION:  Creation and Adoption of Large Language Models in Medicine 

An Interview With Drs. Meghan Delaney and Eric Konnick: How FDA Restrictions on Laboratory-Developed Tests Will Harm Patients and Increase Costs

41 min

The FDA recently announced a plan to regulate laboratory-developed tests (LDTs) as medical devices. In this interview, Dr. Meghan Delaney from Children’s National Hospital and Dr. Eric Konnick from the University of Washington explain why many tests that are critical to patient care, particularly in the areas of pediatrics, transplantation, and rare diseases, may become unavailable if the rule the FDA has proposed is enacted. Other tests may remain available, but at a significantly increased cost. Dr. Jonathan Genzen, ARUP’s chief medical officer and cohost of this episode, describes how laboratory professionals can provide public feedback to the FDA before the rule takes effect. Related Information: Click Here to access the FDA public comment webpage for the newly proposed LDT rule. ARUP Joins Industry Partners in Opposing Proposed FDA Rules Seeking to Regulate Laboratory-Developed Tests ACLA Opposes Unilateral FDA Action to Regulate Laboratory Developed Tests Under Medical Device Authority Laboratory-Developed Tests Account for a Small Minority of Tests Ordered in an Academic Hospital System Laboratory-Developed Tests: A Legislative and Regulatory Review 

An Interview With Dr. Ila Singh: What the TRUU-Lab Initiative Has Taught Us About Laboratory Test Names

24 min

Dr. Ila Singh, chief of laboratory medicine at Texas Children’s Hospital, founded the Test Renaming for Understanding and Utilization in the Laboratory (TRUU-Lab) initiative several years ago to tackle challenges related to the nonstandardized and uninformative naming of laboratory tests. In this interview, Dr. Singh describes the surveys her CDC-funded collaborative has conducted with hundreds of physicians and other providers, and she shares insights about how to improve the ordering of tests through more effective naming. Related Information: Click Here to Listen to this Podcast Episode on the ARUP EDU Official Website.Click Here to Listen to Dr. Singh's 2019 Appearance on LabMind Entitled "An Interview with Dr. Ila Singh: The TRUU-Lab Initiative to Improve Laboratory Test Names." Click Here to View Dr. Singh's 2019 Video Lecture Entitled "Ordering the Right Lab Test: It All Begins With the Right Test Name."

An Interview With Dr. Michael Cohen: Blunt Advice for Navigating a Career in Academic Medicine

31 min

Individuals pursue careers in academic medicine for many reasons. A love of organizational politics is rarely one of them, but faculty need to understand potential landmines if they are to avoid them. In this interview, Dr. Michael Cohen, a professor emeritus of pathology at Wake Forest University, draws on his experiences serving on faculty and in senior leadership at multiple institutions to explain how to thrive within the paradoxes of academic medicine. Click here to listen to this episode on ARUP's website. Related Information: VIDEO LECTURE: A Discourse on Working in Academic Health Centers With Some Practical Observations by Michael B. Cohen, MD 

An Interview With Glen Garrick: Sustainability in Healthcare Organizations

37 min

Sustainability is a hot topic for American corporations, and health systems are no exception. In this interview, Glen Garrick, system sustainability director for Intermountain Healthcare, explains how his and other healthcare organizations are addressing their environmental, social, and governance responsibilities. He also describes how clinical laboratories can make the most positive impact. Related Information: New Building Embodies ARUP’s Commitment to Environmental Stewardship ARUP’s Environmental Sustainability Efforts Pay Off Recycling Coalition of Utah Names ARUP the Thomas A. Martin Business Recycler of the Year Impressive New Structure Will Enhance ARUP’s Environmental Stewardship Efforts   Top 10 Ways ARUP Helps Our Environment  Click Here to Listen to This Episode from the ARUP Website 

An Interview With Dr. Marc Couturier: Keys to Laboratory Success in the Next Pandemic

40 min

Three and a half years after the emergence of COVID-19 is a good time to reflect on the capabilities of U.S. laboratories to respond to future pandemics. In this interview, Dr. Marc Couturier, medical director of Emerging Public Health Crises at ARUP Laboratories, explains how the U.S. laboratory sector has improved in its ability to respond quickly to emerging and reemerging infections, but he emphasizes the need to go further. He specifically explains why testing can’t be rapidly scaled up unless there’s tight coordination between public health labs and clinical labs (particularly reference labs and large academic labs). Click here to Register for Dr. Marc Couturier's Upcoming Webinar entitled: “How to Avoid Building an Airplane Mid Flight: Lab Medicine in the Face of Emerging Public Health Crises” Click Here to Listen to this Episode on ARUP's Official Website. 

An Interview With Clint Child: Bridging the Cultural Divide Between Nursing and Laboratory Medicine

32 min

Nurses and laboratory professionals rely on each other to ensure accurate test results, but their relationships are sometimes challenging. As president of St. Alphonsus Medical Center in Nampa, Idaho, as well as a registered nurse with a doctorate degree in nursing practice, Clint Child often mediates when these two professional cultures collide. In this interview, he explains why nursing practice is less predictable and requires greater flexibility than laboratory practice. He also shares his perspective on why it’s valuable for hospital leaders to have strong ties to their local communities. Click Here to view this episode of the LabMind podcast on ARUP's website.

An Interview With Dr. Andy Hoofnagle: Why Different Platforms Can Give Different Results for the Same Test, and What Can Be Done About It

37 min

Physicians and patients expect laboratory tests to produce the same results, regardless of where they are performed. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case, even for FDA-approved assays. As the current chair of the College of American Pathologists committee for accuracy-based proficiency testing, Dr. Andy Hoofnagle is an authority on this industrywide problem. In this interview, he explains the root causes of inconsistent results across platforms, and how manufacturers, regulators, and professional societies might work together to solve it. Responses from the FDA and manufacturer can be found at https://arup.utah.edu/education/podcasts/labmindEp68.php. Additional Resources:   “Using mass spectrometry to overcome the longstanding inaccuracy of a commercially-available clinical testosterone immunoassay” “Accuracy-Based Vitamin D Survey: Six Years of Quality Improvement Guided by Proficiency Testing”

An Interview With Dr. Lauren Pearson: Lessons Learned From Automating a Hospital Laboratory

31 min

The key to successful clinical lab automation doesn’t lie in the instruments or the conveyor belt. It lies in clarifying what the organization most needs to improve (labor efficiency? turnaround time? reliability?) followed by optimizing those factors through modeling and planning. In this interview, Dr. Lauren Pearson, ARUP’s chief medical officer for University of Utah Health, shares lessons she has learned from her recent automation projects. To view this podcast episode on the ARUP website: https://arup.utah.edu/education/podcasts/labmindEp67.php To register for Dr. Pearson's upcoming webinar entitled "Verification of Automated Urinalysis Instrumentation: Analytical and Clinical Considerations" on June 20th, 2023: https://arup.utah.edu/education/pearson-autourinalysis-2023.php

An Interview With Dr. Susan Edralin: What Laboratory Leaders Aren’t Discussing With Hospital Administrators, But Should Be

25 min

For her doctoral dissertation, Dr. Susan Edralin dove into the issue of communicating the value contribution of pathology and laboratory medicine to healthcare administrators. What she found in her conversations surprised her. In this interview, she lists some of the misunderstandings regarding laboratory value and describes how lab directors can raise the status of their laboratory operations and expert staff. To access this episode on the ARUP website: https://arup.utah.edu/education/podcasts/labmindEp66.php 

An Interview With Dr. Bert Ley: Understanding the U.S. Patent System

32 min

You know what a patent is, but do you know what’s patentable in the field of laboratory diagnostics? Or how patent law has changed over the years? In this interview, Dr. Bert Ley, a registered patent agent with decades of experience in the clinical laboratory industry, unpacks some of the mysteries of the U.S. patent system and how it ultimately benefits society.

An Interview With Drs. Tammy Smith and Lisa Peterson: Optimizing Laboratory Testing for Autoimmune Neurologic Disease

33 min

Laboratory testing can either lead to the correct diagnosis or take a clinician down a blind alley, depending on how carefully the tests are selected and performed. In this interview, a practicing neurologist (Dr. Tammy Smith) and a clinical laboratory immunologist (Dr. Lisa Peterson) explain some of the complexities of laboratory diagnosis of autoimmune neurologic disease, and how to ensure good diagnostic outcomes.

The Challenge of Newborn Drug Testing

34 min

Many hospitals test newborn babies for exposure to drugs of abuse. Although this sounds fairly straightforward, in practice it has been difficult to standardize testing protocols, let alone keep up with substance use trends. Compared with other areas of laboratory medicine, drug testing is also associated with unique social and legal ramifications, specimen collection processes, and result reporting decisions. In this interview, Dr. Gwen McMillin describes current academic perspectives on these issues, and where she sees the field heading.

Amplifying the Voice of the Patient

34 min

Within our current healthcare institutions, patients’ voices are often drowned out by the voices of providers, scientists, and industry. Andrea Downing’s life work is to fix this. As a BRCA1 cancer previvor and a patients’ rights activist, she was a spokesperson for one of the plaintiffs in the U.S. Supreme Court case that ultimately overturned gene patenting. Years later, while moderating an online patient support group, she discovered a major privacy vulnerability in Facebook, which led her into cybersecurity research. In this interview, she chronicles her journey and lays out her vision for patients as cocreators within medicine and medical science.

‘Think Different’ About Quality Control

30 min

To most laboratorians, quality control is all about rules, metrics, and thresholds. To Dr. Fred Strathmann, on the other hand, it’s about gaining understanding of the underlying processes. In this interview, he shares examples of ways to think more deeply about measurements in order to drive organizational improvement.

How to Create a More Welcoming Workplace for Women

27 min

ARUP Laboratories was recently recognized by Forbes Magazine as being among the country’s best workplaces for women. In this interview, ARUP’s president, Dr. Tracy George, explains how companies can create healthier models of work-life balance that support women (and men) in their personal and professional roles.

A Legacy of Leadership in Clinical Pathology

36 min

The curricula of pathology and laboratory medicine training programs are heavily weighted toward technical and medical knowledge. In this interview, Dr. Wayne Chandler makes the case for more emphasis on leadership training, and he shares experiences from his 40-year clinical pathology career that illustrate the impact of people skills.

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