2026 Scientific Workshops

Scientific Workshops – Tuesday, May 5, 1500 – 1600

 

W0511: Challenge Yourself in Pediatric Diagnostics!

Vilte Barakauskas, BC Children’s Hospital, University of British Columbia
Lawrence de Koning, Alberta Children’s Hospital, University of Calgary

Learning Objectives – at the end of this presentation participants will be able to:

1. Describe pediatric-related issues in stages of the testing process that can cause unusual results.
2. Describe unique physiologic aspects of children, rare pediatric conditions and errors in care that can cause unusual results.
3. Apply teamwork skills to work with a variety of professionals to solve problems.

Pediatric clinical biochemistry is an extremely stimulating area of laboratory medicine. Rare congenital conditions combined with dynamic physiology can lead to surprising results that can challenge the comfort levels of clinical biochemists. In this workshop, we will present real-life pediatric cases in an engaging format where the audience will be tasked to make decisions to (hopefully) arrive at the right diagnosis. Audience members will be encouraged to discuss amongst themselves, ask questions, and make bold statements. This workshop is intended to foster teamwork and bring in a variety of different viewpoints. All backgrounds and levels of experience are welcome.

 

W0512: Practical Approaches for Discordant Laboratory Result Investigations

Peter Kavsak, McMaster University, Hamilton Regional Laboratory Medicine Program

Learning Objectives – at the end of this presentation participants will be able to:

1. Evaluate when clinically discordant results require an interference investigation.
2. Recognize which analytically investigations should be prioritized.
3. Apply analytical framework to resolve clinically discordant findings.

The laboratory is often consulted on abnormal concentrations or activity of analytes by clinicians where the testing does not always correlate with clinical findings. There may be several reasons to explain possible discordant findings from an assay interference, to the consumption of exogenous biotin, to the presence of endogenous macrocomplexes. This workshop will review the etiologies of discordant findings and will provide examples of cases for participants to work through providing participants practical approaches for discordant laboratory test result investigations.

 

W0513: HRMS Toxicology Screening: Validation, Implementation, Quality Monitoring, Data Mining, and Continuous Improvement

Katrina Bernardin, Dynacare
Hui Li, Dynacare

Learning Objectives – at the end of this presentation participants will be able to:

1. Describe the validation, implementation, and post-implementation quality monitoring of broad-spectrum HRMS toxicology screening.
2. Identify and analyze interpretation challenges associated with expanded analyte coverage and lower detection limits in HRMS-based BST testing.
3. Apply and evaluate retrospective data-mining strategies to support continuous improvement, test-menu optimization, and response to emerging drug trends.

Broad-spectrum toxicology (BST) screening is essential in clinical and forensic laboratories but is constrained by conventional LC–MS/MS methods due to limited analyte capacity, complex MRM scheduling, and burdensome revalidation when adding new drugs. High-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) overcomes these limitations through full-scan acquisition, retrospective data mining, and improved detection of unexpected or emerging compounds. This workshop will provide a comprehensive overview of assay development, validation, optimization, and post-implementation quality monitoring, including verification, proficiency assessment, and trend analysis. We will also address interpretation challenges associated with lower detection thresholds and expanded coverage, highlight our internally developed and externally accessible interpretation guide, demonstrate automated positivity-rate tracking and retrospective data mining using Power BI, and discuss continuous improvement driven by client feedback and evolving drug trends.

 

W0514: Advancing Reference Interval Harmonization in Canada: Implementation of CSCC Best Practice Guidelines (2 hours)

Khosrow Adeli, The Hospital for Sick Children
Mary Kathryn Bohn, Unity Health Toronto
Christine Collier, Dynacare
David Seccombe, CEQAL

Learning Objectives – at the end of this presentation participants will be able to:

1. Explain the Scientific and Clinical Rationale for Reference Interval Harmonization: Participants will gain an understanding of how harmonized reference intervals reduce diagnostic variability, improve comparability across laboratories, and enhance national healthcare quality.
2. Discuss Data-Driven Methods for Deriving and Verifying Harmonized Reference Intervals: Attendees will explore the methodology used by the CSCC WG-hRI, including indirect data mining approaches, use of the refineR algorithm, and verification across multiple analytical platforms.
3. Develop Practical Strategies for Implementation and Stakeholder Engagement: Participants will learn how to verify harmonized reference intervals in their own settings.

Unwarranted variability in reference intervals across clinical laboratories can lead to inconsistent patient care and clinical decision-making. The CSCC WG-hRI has recently developed evidence-based harmonized reference intervals for 13 common clinical chemistry analytes using large-scale national datasets, robust statistical algorithms (refineR), and multi-site verification across Canada. This workshop will provide participants with the scientific foundation, methodology, and implementation strategies for adopting these harmonized reference intervals in their own laboratories. It will also introduce the forthcoming CSCC hRI Implementation Toolkit to support successful national adoption.

 

Scientific Workshops – Tuesday, May 5, 1615 – 1715

 

W0514: Advancing Reference Interval Harmonization in Canada: Implementation of CSCC Best Practice Guidelines (continues)

See description above.

 

W0521: From Total to Transcutaneous Bilirubin: Decoding Bilirubin Testing and Implications of the 2025 CPS Recommendations to the Clinical Laboratory

Lori Beach, IWK Health
Ivan Blasutig, CHEO – EORLA

Learning Objectives – at the end of this presentation participants will be able to:

1. Describe the differences between several available bilirubin measurement methods.
2. Analyze the 2025 CPS Guidance on Bilirubin testing and understand its application in Canadian laboratories.
3. Apply and evaluate the impact of implementation of these guidelines for laboratories and clinical end users.

Measurement of bilirubin in the newborn period remains a key standard of newborn care. While historically reported in literature, interassay differences remain underappreciated by clinical end users of this testing. Furthermore, application of cooximetry and transcutaneous bilirubin measurement options have gained popularity due to improved accessibility and reduced invasiveness. The 2025 updates from the Canadian Pediatric Society’s guidance on bilirubin measurement warrant laboratory recommendations for appropriate application. In this workshop, speakers from the Pediatric and Perinatal Special Interest Group will guide participants through a review of bilirubin analytical testing differences and their potential clinical impacts, an explanation and application of the 2025 CPS Bilirubin Guideline, and discussion on lessons learned from one year of implementation at sites across Canada.

 

W0522: Introducing an Evidence-Based, Environmentally Sustainable, Solution into Your Laboratory

Tim Lang, The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals, NHS Foundation Trust
Shanel Raghubeer, Cape Peninsula University of Technology

Learning Objectives – at the end of this presentation participants will be able to:

1. Explain how to critically appraise EBLM
   • Defining the problem
     • Identifying impact on patient-centred care
     • Collecting appropriate evidence
   • Identifying potential solutions
     • Where to look
     • Critically appraising the evidence
2. Explain how to implement a EBLM solution in practice
   • Implementing the EBLM solution
     • Stepwise approach in partnership
     • Who to involve and why
3. Explain how to measure the impact of EBLM in practice
   • Measuring the impact of solution on patient care
     • Identifying and measuring clinical impact
     • Is it a sustainable solution (both from the perspective of continued improvement and resource management)

During the workshop attendees will be presented with a common laboratory medicine scenario which they will be guided to develop to an environmentally sustainable solution through the use of evidence-based laboratory medicine.

 

W0523: Fluid Thinking: Moving Towards Evidence-Based Body Fluid Testing to Meet Clinical Needs in Manitoba and Alberta

Natalie Landry, Shared Health MB
Samantha Logan, University of Calgary, Alberta Precision Laboratories
Isolde Seiden Long, Alberta Precision Laboratories

Learning Objectives – at the end of this presentation participants will be able to:

1. Examine the clinical utility of body fluid tests through case examples.
2. Recognize the challenges that complicate body fluid testing and develop educational strategies to mitigate them.
3. Define appropriate pre-analytical, analytical and post-analytical processes for body fluids.
4. Identify gaps in body fluid testing that warrant further exploration.

This workshop will explore the Wild West of body fluid testing and the strategies that Clinical Biochemists are using to standardize practice within the integrated provincial health systems of Alberta and Manitoba. The goal of this workshop is to present the clinical importance of non-standard body fluid testing in clinical practice and explore the data which supports evidence-based practices in body fluid testing. Speakers will discuss body fluid validations in automated chemistry, education and test utilization initiatives, and cases that demonstrate how body fluid testing helps physicians direct medical care. In small groups, participants will practice developing a framework for how to initiate a change in body fluid testing using examples from their own practice, or provided prompts. This workshop will also encourage participation by using large group discussion and digital tools (e.g. surveys, anonymous polling, and quizzes).