Lipoprotein Biomarkers and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: A Laboratory Medicine Best Practices (LMBP) Systematic Review.

Background: Controversy exists about the incremental utility of nontraditional lipid biomarkers [e.g., apolipoprotein (apo) B, apo A-I, and non-HDL-C] in improving cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk prediction when added to a conventional model of traditional risk factors (e.

Effectiveness of barcoding for reducing patient specimen and laboratory testing identification errors: a Laboratory Medicine Best Practices systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: This is the first systematic review of the effectiveness of barcoding practices for reducing patient specimen and laboratory testing identification errors.

Design And Methods: The CDC-funded Laboratory Medicine Best Practices Initiative systematic review methods for quality improvement practices were used.

Results: A total of 17 observational studies reporting on barcoding systems are included in the body of evidence; 10 for patient specimens and 7 for point-of-care testing.

Effectiveness of practices to reduce blood culture contamination: a Laboratory Medicine Best Practices systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: This article is a systematic review of the effectiveness of three practices for reducing blood culture contamination rates: venipuncture, phlebotomy teams, and prepackaged preparation/collection (prep) kits.

Design And Methods: The CDC-funded Laboratory Medicine Best Practices Initiative systematic review methods for quality improvement practices were used.

Results: Studies included as evidence were: 9 venipuncture (vs.

Laboratory medicine best practices: systematic evidence review and evaluation methods for quality improvement.

Objective: To develop methods for systematically reviewing evidence for identifying effective laboratory medicine (LM) practices associated with improved healthcare quality outcomes.

Relevance: Although many evidence-evaluation systems have been developed, none are designed to include and rate healthcare quality improvement studies to identify evidence-based practices that improve patient safety and LM quality.

Methods: Validated evidence-based medicine methods established by governmental agencies, the Guide to Community Preventive Services, and others were adapted for the LM field.