- Overview
Last updated: October 2025
| Program title | Description | Objectives | Speaker(s) | Recording |
Supporting drug development for advanced therapies with high-quality RNA analysis: The critical role of sampling and pre-analytics
(BD-149982) | In advanced therapy development, blood samples are essential to gain molecular insights. RNA and biomarker profiles are highly sensitive to preanalytical variables like collection, transport, storage, and processing. Accurate RNA analysis relies on careful sample collection and handling. Each step could affect biomarker integrity and gene expression profiles. Standardization of preanalytical workflows ensures high-quality RNA for reliable results, aiding advanced therapy development. In this webinar, Dr. Kalle Günther, a renowned expert in preanalytical workflows, and Björn Burmeister, a leader in biomarker analysis, will explore the pivotal role of preanalytics in ensuring the integrity and reliability of RNA samples, which is crucial for the development of advanced therapies. | • Learn more about the importance of standardized preanalytical workflows. • Understand the impact of RNA integrity on gene expression readouts and the implications for drug Development. • Hear about the latest best practices for sample collection, stabilization, and RNA extraction to maintain high-quality RNA samples. | Björn Lundin Burmeister, Ph.D Kalle Günther, Ph.D | WATCH THIS WEBINAR ON RNA ANALYSIS Expires 6.11.26 CE credit |
Go with the flow: Enhancing diagnostic stewardship in urine specimen testing optimizing collection, processing, and collaboration for improved laboratory efficiency and patient care
(BD-146845) | Urine specimens are one of the most commonly tested samples in clinical laboratories, spanning disciplines in chemistry, hematology, and microbiology. Given the sheer volume of urine specimens handled daily, even small improvements in the collection, processing, and testing procedures can lead to significant advancements in laboratory efficiency and patient care. However, challenges arise when there are inefficiencies in specimen handling, particularly in cases where urine crosses multiple laboratory sections, such as Urinalysis with Reflex to Culture protocols. These inefficiencies can disrupt laboratory workflow and delay critical results. In this webinar, the origins and evolution of guidelines for urine specimen collection, processing, and testing will be explored, with a focus on current best practices. Attendees will gain insights into effective testing methods, techniques, and recommendations for implementing reflex algorithms. Emphasis will also be placed on the importance of cross-functional collaboration within healthcare institutions, highlighting how building a vested, multidisciplinary group is essential for driving decision-making processes that lead to optimized urine testing workflows. | • Examine how clinical and demographic factors influence testing needs. • Learn how laboratories can tailor testing protocols to meet these diverse requirements. • Establish a clear framework for identifying key stakeholders and implementing improvements in urine specimen testing processes. | David R. Peaper, MD, PhD, D(ABMM) | WATCH THIS WEBINAR ON URINE SPECIMEN TESTING Expires 6.04.26 CE credit |
Enhancing patient safety: exploring clinical implications for the new CDC/NHSN metric – hospital onset bacteremia (HOB)
(BD-115893) | Hospital Onset Bacteremia & Fungemia (HOB) is a new metric proposed by the CDC for National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) volunteer reporting this calendar year. Join Drs. Kalvin Yu and Samantha Bastow as they delve into their recent research papers, elucidating the disparities between HOB and Central Line-associated Bloodstream Infection (CLABSI). They will explore the impact of urine sources on Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTI) and non-catheter Hospital Onset UTIs contributing to HOB. Additionally, discover the clinical and health economic significance of specimen collection and diagnostic stewardship. | • Differentiate the difference between CLABSI and HOB. • Outline the patient safety risks and healthcare system economic implications of HOB. • Understand how CAUTIs and noncatheter UTIs play a role in HOB events, and what clinicians can do to help mitigate related clinical issues as detailed in 3 specific peer reviewed papers. | Kalvin Yu, Samantha Bastow, |
Expires 3.20.26 CE credit |
Novel tools to detect pre-analytical errors and improve specimen quality: the impact of accurate laboratory results on patient care
(BD-122708) | Accurate laboratory results are crucial to effective patient care, yet errors can arise that are impactful, costly, and far too common. Preanalytical errors make up the majority of diagnostic testing, accounting for ~43–75% of all laboratory errors in published studies. Despite this, there are limited tools available to laboratorians to capture and prevent preanalytical error. In this webinar, Dr. Christopher Farnsworth will introduce studies from his own hospital and other institutions in which novel tools for detecting preanalytical error have been implemented. Further, Dr. Farnsworth will assess how these tools have been applied collaboratively with nursing and others within the hospital to improve laboratory results and patient outcomes. | • Understand how to seek out preanalytical error data in your facility. • Assess the impact of preanalytical error on specimen quality and diagnostic accuracy. • Implement a multi-disciplinary approach to improve specimen collection and handling through the preanalytical phase to improve patient outcomes. | Christopher W. Farnsworth, PhD, DABCC | WATCH THIS WEBINAR ON PREANALYTICAL ERRORS Expires 5.31.26 CE credit |
Unlocking accuracy: rapid serum tubes revolutionize high-sensitivity troponin T testing (BD-126890) | Hemolysis is the leading source of interference with laboratory testing and can occur due to suboptimal blood collection and/or suboptimal transportation procedures (such as via pneumatic tube systems). The impact can be quite significant, with delays in care delivery caused by hemolyzed samples in the emergency department estimated to cost hospitals on the order of $4 million/year. In this webinar, Dr. El-Khoury will review the lessons learned from his group’s latest published study titled “Rapid serum tubes reduce transport hemolysis and false positive rates for high-sensitivity troponin T (hs-cTnT)”. In that study, his group examined the effect of tube type, tube fill, types of sample draw and collection methods on hemolysis and hs-cTnT in samples (n = 158) from patients seen at the Yale-New Haven Hospital’s emergency department. They also compared hs-cTnT values in paired RST and plasma separation tube (PST) samples that were hemolysis-free. The group’s findings support the use of rapid serum tube to reduce hemolysis rates. | • Evaluate the clinical utility of the rapid serum tube (RST) and its effect on hemolysis. • Implement strategies to effectively reduce hemolysis in samples collected and transported to the laboratory. • Identify outliers affecting highsensitivity troponin T testing. | Joe M. El-Khoury, PhD, DABCC, FADLM | WATCH THIS WEBINAR ON RAPID SERUM TUBES Expires 6.30.26 CE credit |
Pediatric lab puzzles: approaches to challenges from ordering to collections to result
(BD-126195) | Pediatric lab medicine has many unique challenges that impact patient care, including specimen ordering, collection, and result interpretation. In this webinar, Dr. Dickerson will discuss common challenges in pediatric lab medicine, framed by common questions asked to laboratory professionals by care providers and share case examples to illustrate approaches to these challenges. These include 1) difficult collections; 2) pediatric reference interval validation techniques; and 3) optimizing laboratory stewardship for this population. | • Identify two approaches to support difficult pediatric collections. • Examine options for verifying reference intervals in a pediatric population. • Discuss strategies for effective pediatric lab stewardship techniques. | Jane Dickerson, PhD, DABCC | WATCH THIS WEBINAR ON PEDIATRIC LAB STEWARDSHIP Expires 7.31.26 CE credit |
Urine Trouble? Opportunities to Improve Urine-Based Diagnostics for Infectious Diseases (BD-133523) | Recent advances in urine collection devices and diagnostic testing have provided opportunities for clinical laboratories to improve upon stagnant practices that may have deleterious effects on test utilization and result quality. Urine cultures are the gold standard for the diagnosis of urinary tract infection (UTI), one of the most common causes of bacterial infection, and therefore account for much of the workload in clinical microbiology laboratories. Contamination and workflow inefficiencies with urine specimens can lead to increased workload for the laboratory and antibiotic misuse in patients. Join Dr. Melanie L. Yarbrough to discuss the importance of preanalytical variables in urine testing, describe the implementation and impact of reflex algorithms on urine culture utilization, and describe how laboratory-based initiatives to reduce unnecessary urine testing can improve workflow efficiency and impact patient care. | • Describe optimal urine collection and transport guidance for infectious disease testing. • Assess the workflow and advantages of reflex algorithms for urine culture in clinical laboratories. • Evaluate the clinical and microbiologic impact of automation implementation for urine cultures. | Melanie Yarbrough, PhD, D(ABMM), D(ABCC) | WATCH THIS WEBINAR ON URINE CULTURE DIAGNOSTICS Expires 8.31.26 CE credit |
Improving blood collection outcomes through interdisciplinary collaboration (BD-136068) | Blood collection via venipuncture is a task traditionally completed by trained phlebotomists. However, due to various healthcare constraints, this task has increasingly been shared with other disciplines, most notably nursing. This transition has increased the complexity of blood collection due to variability in training, in skill level, and in workflows. Most importantly, these factors can impact patient care by increasing unsuccessful collection attempts, reducing the quality and optimal timing of the specimen, and causing delays and inaccuracies in clinical decision making. In this webinar, Barb Nickel, Clinical Nurse Specialist, and co-author of the 2024 INS Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice, will provide an overview of the following factors in venipuncture blood collection: healthcare factors that have added complexity, sources of inaccurate specimen collection, and best practices in interdisciplinary collaboration to improve outcomes. | • Identify healthcare factors that have increased the complexity of blood collection. • Identify potential sources of inaccurate blood collection. • Describe best practices to improve outcomes in venipuncture blood collection. | Barb Nickel, APRN-CNS, CCRN, CRNI | WATCH THIS WEBINAR ON INFLUENTIAL FACTORS ON BLOOD COLLECTION Expires 10.31.26 CE credit |