A growing number of options and opportunities are becoming available to patients for more convenient microbiology testing. These solutions can be over-the-counter, direct-to-consumer and/or self-collection of specimens that are then tested in a laboratory. This series will explore the current state of self-collection for tests such as respiratory viruses and sexually transmitted infections.
Learning objectives:
- Recognize a novel validation consideration that needs to be addressed when developing a laboratory test that uses unsupervised self-collected specimens.
- Be able to describe the difference between OTC, DTC and prescription diagnostic testing.
- Identify 1 application for self-collected specimens that could improve the convenience of care that could be provided to patients you serve. 
Webinar Topics
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted healthcare in many ways, including expansion of novel on-line and direct to consumer test requesting and specimen self-collection services. This session will delve into the current state of specimen self-collection for detection of respiratory pathogens and describe the associated advantages, concerns and challenges. Process validation for self-collected specimens and regulatory requirements around test development are essential considerations that will be explored. As telehealth, on-line vendor services and courier networks grow, the response to the need for self-collected specimens will need to develop.
Learning Objectives:
- Discuss the current landscape for self-collected specimens for respiratory virus detection.
- ​Outline the regulatory and technical considerations when developing a self-collection scheme.
- Consider future applications of self-collected specimens for microbiology.
Date/Time:
September 21, 20222:00 p.m. ET
Speaker:
Susan M. Harrington, Ph.D., D(ABMM), MLS(ASCP)CM
Medical Director, °®¶¹´«Ã½
Cleveland Clinic
Assistant Professor of Pathology
Lerner College of Medicine
This session will cover 3 main topics: collection of specimens in non-clinical settings for remote lab testing; direct-to-consumer (DTC) testing options and practices; and an overview of issues to consider about over-the-counter (OTC) testing for STIs.
Learning Objectives
- Identify regulatory needs of a direct-to-consumer program.
- Navigate the complexities of re-test/confirmation testing of samples from people who have used a DTC option.
- Begin mapping strategies for clinical and laboratory management of patients presenting with OTC results.
Date/Time:
October 5, 2022
2:00 p.m. ET
Speaker:
Barbara Van Der Pol, M.P.H., Ph.D.
Professor of Medicine & Public Health
University of Alabama at Birmingham
This webinar will introduce dried blood spots (DBS) as an alternative specimen type for infectious disease testing. The speakers will discuss pre-analytical considerations that need to be considered with DBS collections, provide potential uses for this specimen type and review recent literature evaluating DBS specimens for the diagnosis of infectious diseases.
Learning Objectives
- Describe the pre-analytical considerations necessary to ensure optimal DBS specimen collections.
- List clinical scenarios for which DBS specimens may be preferred for clinical laboratory testing in routine patient care.
- Discuss performance characteristics of DBS specimen types for select infectious disease serologic and molecular assays.
Date/Time
October 12, 2022
2:00 p.m. ET
Speakers
Elitza S. Theel, Ph.D., D(ABMM)
Director, Infectious Diseases Serology Laboratory
Professor, Laboratory Medicine and Pathology
Mayo Clinic
Joseph Yao, M.D., D(ABMM)
Director, Hepatitis/HIV Laboratory
Associate Professor, Laboratory Medicine and Pathology
Mayo Clinic
Format
- There are 3 webinars in this series.
- Each webinar will be presented live and the recording of that presentation will be available within 3 business days.
- Each webinar's content is independent and does not build on the previous webinars in the series, so learners can purchase only those that meet their needs.
Audience
- Medical laboratory scientists, administrators and directors.
- ​Series educational level—beginner.
Continuing Education (CE) Credit
Each presentation is approved for 1.0 P.A.C.E.® credit. ASM is approved as a provider of continuing education programs in the clinical laboratory sciences by the ASCLS P.A.C.E.® Program. All presentations are recognized by the California Department of Health and Florida Department of Health and qualify for California and Florida CE credit toward license renewal. CE credits can only be claimed by the purchaser (individual sales only).Supported in part through educational grants from:
Registration Details
For Individuals
ASM supporting members and non-members: $130
Purchase price includes unlimited access to the webinars, through Sept. 21, 2023, and continuing education (CE) credit for the purchaser.
ASM supporting and non-members: $47 each
Purchase price includes unlimited access to the webinars, through Sept. 21, 2023, and continuing education (CE) credit for the purchaser.
Join ASM to receive the best discounts on webinar registrations and more!
For Institutions
An institutional subscription is available for this course for $259 per webinar. Purchase of institutional subscriptions will allow access and CE credit for up to 10 users. Please email ASM staff at clinmicro@asmusa.org to purchase an institutional subscription.