Presenter:

• Erik Munson, Ph.D., Technical Director, Wheaton Franciscan Laboratory, Milwaukee, WI

Description:

Streptococcus agalactiae is an etiology of neonatal sepsis, meningitis, and pneumonia.  Strategies have been devised to identify appropriate candidates for intrapartum antimicrobial chemotherapy.  While more women are screened for this agent, rates of early-onset disease have not concomitantly decreased.  Potential improvements in laboratory diagnosis of this organism will be discussed.

A certificate of participation will be granted to each participant based on 1.0 contact hours of instruction toward credit.

This program is co-sponsored by ASCLS-WI which is approved as a provider of continuing education programs in the clinical laboratory sciences by the ASCLS P.A.C.E. program.

As part of the new P.A.C.E. continuing education process, please go to the ASCLS CE Organizer web site to print your P.A.C.E. certificates. You will be asked for a code number to print the certificate. We will provide you this number during the teleconference.

Please note that the deadline for receiving P.A.C.E. education credit for this teleconference is June 11, 2015.

Materials:

 Presentation (2.5 MB)

 Handout (500 KB)

 PACE Evaluation

Presenters:

• Erin Bowles, B.S., MT(ASCP), Clinical Laboratory Network Coordinator, Communicable Disease Division, Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene, Madison, WI
• Amanda Weiss, B.S., MT(ASCP), Program Coordinator, Proficiency Testing, Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene, Madison, WI

Description:

This audio conference presentation will introduce Sentinel Clinical Laboratories that participate in the WSLH PT Bioterrorism Preparedness Exercises (BPEs) to the new forms and reporting options that are available for the 2014 exercises.   All Sentinel Clinical Laboratories that participate in the BPEs are encouraged to attend this audio conference.   Participants will be walked through the new processes for submitting results, either electronically, or on paper. Rule-out algorithms will also be reviewed.

A certificate of participation will be granted to each participant based on 1.0 contact hours of instruction toward credit.

This program is co-sponsored by ASCLS-WI which is approved as a provider of continuing education programs in the clinical laboratory sciences by the ASCLS P.A.C.E. program.

As part of the new P.A.C.E. continuing education process, please go to the ASCLS CE Organizer web site to print your P.A.C.E. certificates. You will be asked for a code number to print the certificate. We will provide you this number during the teleconference.

Please note that the deadline for receiving P.A.C.E. education credit for this teleconference is April 9, 2015.

 

Materials:

 Presentation (3 MB)

 Handout (645 KB)

 PACE Evaluation

 

Presenter:

• Timothy Monson, M.S., Supervisor, Communicable Disease Division, Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene, Madison, WI
• Mike Rauch, B.S., Advanced Microbiologist, Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene, Madison, WI

Description:

Clinical laboratories in Wisconsin have been testing for Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) for many years. As more clinical laboratories have implemented Shiga toxin (ST) testing, statewide surveillance has been enhanced. The partnership between clinical and public health laboratories continues to be an essential component necessary for effective STEC surveillance and the prevention of further disease.

A certificate of participation will be granted to each participant based on 1.0 contact hours of instruction toward credit.

This program is co-sponsored by ASCLS-WI which is approved as a provider of continuing education programs in the clinical laboratory sciences by the ASCLS P.A.C.E. program.

As part of the new P.A.C.E. continuing education process, please go to the ASCLS CE Organizer web site to print your P.A.C.E. certificates. You will be asked for a code number to print the certificate. We will provide you this number during the teleconference.

Please note that the deadline for receiving P.A.C.E. education credit for this teleconference is March 19, 2015.

Materials:

Webcast (Mediasite, 20 Kbps)

 Presentation (5 MB)

 Handout (2.6 MB)

 PACE Evaluation Form

Presenter:

• Erik Munson, Ph.D., Technical Director, Wheaton Franciscan Laboratory, Milwaukee, WI

Description:

This audio conference will provide guidance on bench-level biochemical testing in the clinical microbiology laboratory, as such testing may be of importance to a variety of microbiology laboratories throughout the state. Discussed principles will subsequently be: 1) applied toward a better understanding of errors made in past WSLH Bioterrorism proficiency exercises; and 2) incorporated into same-day algorithms resulting in accurate identification of clinically-significant bacterial and yeast isolates.

A certificate of participation will be granted to each participant based on 1.0 contact hours of instruction toward credit.

This program is co-sponsored by ASCLS-WI which is approved as a provider of continuing education programs in the clinical laboratory sciences by the ASCLS P.A.C.E. program.

As part of the new P.A.C.E. continuing education process, please go to the ASCLS CE Organizer web site to print your P.A.C.E. certificates. You will be asked for a code number to print the certificate. We will provide you this number during the teleconference.

Please note that the deadline for receiving P.A.C.E. education credit for this teleconference is February 12, 2015.

 

Materials:

Webcast (Mediasite, 20 Kbps)

Presentation 4.7 MB

Handout 700 KB

PACE Evaluation Form

Presenter:

• Julie Tans-Kersten, M.S., MT(ASCP), TB Coordinator, Communicable Disease Division, Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene, Madison, WI

Description:

This audio conference will cover the clinical significance of the Non-tuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM).  The presentation will focus on various methods that may be used to identify NTM, from conventional methods to the newer emerging technologies such as Maldi-TOF and whole genome sequencing. The speaker will also touch on recommended susceptibility testing of NTM.

A certificate of participation will be granted to each participant based on 1.0 contact hours of instruction toward credit.

This program is co-sponsored by ASCLS-WI which is approved as a provider of continuing education programs in the clinical laboratory sciences by the ASCLS P.A.C.E. program.

As part of the new P.A.C.E. continuing education process, please go to the ASCLS CE Organizer web site to print your P.A.C.E. certificates. You will be asked for a code number to print the certificate. We will provide you this number during the teleconference.

Please note that the deadline for receiving P.A.C.E. education credit for this teleconference is January 15, 2015.

 

Materials:

Presentation 2.6 MB

Handout 1 MB

PACE Evaluation Form

Presenter:

• Raymond Podzorski, Ph.D., D(ABMM), Clinical Microbiologist, Department of Pathology, ProHealth Care Laboratories – Waukesha Memorial Hospital

Description:

This audio conference with cover the basic microbiology procedures used to help in the diagnosis of prosthetic joint infections.  Areas covered will be organisms commonly associated with prosthetic joint infections, specimen collection and transport, Gram stain methodology, and culture parameters and interpretation.

A certificate of participation will be granted to each participant based on 1.0 contact hours of instruction toward credit.

This program is co-sponsored by ASCLS-WI which is approved as a provider of continuing education programs in the clinical laboratory sciences by the ASCLS P.A.C.E. program.

As part of the new P.A.C.E. continuing education process, please go to the ASCLS CE Organizer web site to print your P.A.C.E. certificates. You will be asked for a code number to print the certificate. We will provide you this number during the teleconference.

Please note that the deadline for receiving P.A.C.E. education credit for this teleconference is December 9, 2014.

 

Materials:

Presentation (Powerpoint, 4.5 MB)

Handout (PDF, 2 MB)

PACE Evaluation Form (Word DOC)

Presenters:

• Pete Shult, Ph.D., CDD Director and Emergency Laboratory Response, Communicable Disease Division, Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene
• Erik Reisdorf, MPH, Virology Surveillance and Team Leader, Communicable Disease Division, Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene

Description:

This audio conference will provide a review of the past 2012 – 2013 respiratory virus season and will highlight our surveillance strategy for 2013-2014, based on our expectations, for the upcoming respiratory virus season.  Topics will include current diagnostic technologies and trends including the use of rapid influenza detection testing, antiviral resistance surveillance, and vaccine information.

A certificate of participation will be granted to each participant based on 1.0 contact hours of instruction toward credit.

This program is co-sponsored by ASCLS-WI which is approved as a provider of continuing education programs in the clinical laboratory sciences by the ASCLS P.A.C.E. program.

As part of the new P.A.C.E. continuing education process, please go to the ASCLS CE Organizer web site to print your P.A.C.E. certificates. You will be asked for a code number to print the certificate. We will provide you this number during the teleconference.

Please note that the deadline for receiving P.A.C.E. education credit for this teleconference is September 25, 2014.

 

Materials:

Presentation (Powerpoint, 4 MB)

Handout (PDF, 636 KB)

PACE Evaluation Form (Word DOC)

Presenter:

• Diep (Zip) Hoang Johnson, B.S., CEB, Vectorborne Surveillance Coordinator, Communicable Disease Epidemiology Section, Department of Health Services, Division of Public Health

Description:

This presentation will provide an update on the current surveillance programs for arbovirus infections and ehrlichiosis in Wisconsin.  The importance of surveillance and the emergence of a new strain Ehrlichia muris-like, which was first identified in Wisconsin, will be highlighted.  Additional discussion will focus on disease characteristics, testing, treatment and prevention.

 

Materials:

Presentation (Powerpoint, 3.75 MB)

Handout (PDF, 719 KB)

 

Presenter:

• John Shalkham, M.A., SCT(ASCP), Director, Office of Quality Assurance, Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene, Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Description:

Quality Assurance Plans are a vital component of effective laboratory service.  The Microbiology laboratory must adapt the Quality Assurance Plan to include concepts such as Quality System essentials and Quality Management Systems.   This presentation reviews the terminology associated with Quality Laboratory Service and reviews the construction and/or update of a QA plan.

Materials:

Presentation (Powerpoint, 811 KB)

Handout (PDF, 719 KB)

Presenter:

• Thomas Novicki, Ph.D., DABMM, Clinical Microbiologist, Marshfield Labs (A division of Marshfield Clinic)

Description:

Part 1 of this 2 part series will review the taxonomy, description, epidemiology and clinical significance of the Hepatitis A, B, C, D & E viruses. Part 2 will focus on the diagnostic studies applied to these viruses, and on the therapy of the diseases these viruses cause.

 

Materials:

Presentation (Powerpoint, 1.47 MB)

Handout (PDF, 692 KB)