Method of analyzing medical specimens with improved length of analytical run determination
First Claim
1. A method of controlling analyzing patient medical specimens in an analytical run, each specimen having a selected characteristic and a number representative of said characteristic, said method comprising:
- (a) analyzing, on an analyzer, a plurality of said patient medical specimens to obtain, for each specimen, the number representative of said selected characteristic of said specimen;
(b) determining a size shift to be detected in said number, said size shift being a target value shift;
(c) determining a mean from at least some of said numbers;
(d) determining a size shift to be detected in said mean in order to detect said target value shift, said size sift in said mean being a preselected amount;
(e) determining whether said mean shifts by said preselected amount;
(f) providing a control material containing said selected characteristic and being of known properties;
(g) determining expected control values for said control material when said control material is analyzed on said analyzer;
(h) ending said analytical run if said mean shifts by said preselected amount, by inserting said control material into said analyzer, and analyzing said control material therein;
(i) determining, from the analysis of said control material, whether said selected characteristic of said control material deviates from said expected control values by more than said predetermined amount; and
(j) determining, when said control material is analyzed on said analyzer and when such analysis indicates that the selected characteristic of said control material deviates from said expected control values by more than a predetermined amount, that said analyzer is incapable of detecting said target value.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In high volume laboratory analysis of patient medical specimens, control materials are inserted at periodical intervals (e.g. once per eight hours) and analyzed. If the results of the analysis deviate from the mean according to statistical rules, the run of analyses prior to the insertion of control materials has in the past been rejected, often causing a substantial loss of results because the control materials were not inserted sufficiently frequently. According to the invention the patient mean of a test is determined, and when the mean deviates from the predetermined mean by more than a selected amount, this determination is used, not to reject the run, but rather to trigger insertion and analysis of control materials. If the analysis of control materials shows that the run is in control, the analyses made prior thereto are reported and the run is resumed. If the control material analysis shows that the run is out of control, then the prior analyses are rejected.
52 Citations
9 Claims
-
1. A method of controlling analyzing patient medical specimens in an analytical run, each specimen having a selected characteristic and a number representative of said characteristic, said method comprising:
-
(a) analyzing, on an analyzer, a plurality of said patient medical specimens to obtain, for each specimen, the number representative of said selected characteristic of said specimen; (b) determining a size shift to be detected in said number, said size shift being a target value shift; (c) determining a mean from at least some of said numbers; (d) determining a size shift to be detected in said mean in order to detect said target value shift, said size sift in said mean being a preselected amount; (e) determining whether said mean shifts by said preselected amount; (f) providing a control material containing said selected characteristic and being of known properties; (g) determining expected control values for said control material when said control material is analyzed on said analyzer; (h) ending said analytical run if said mean shifts by said preselected amount, by inserting said control material into said analyzer, and analyzing said control material therein; (i) determining, from the analysis of said control material, whether said selected characteristic of said control material deviates from said expected control values by more than said predetermined amount; and (j) determining, when said control material is analyzed on said analyzer and when such analysis indicates that the selected characteristic of said control material deviates from said expected control values by more than a predetermined amount, that said analyzer is incapable of detecting said target value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
Specification