Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital

Preeclampsia is a leading cause of maternal morbidity and adverse perinatal outcomes in Canada. Growing evidence supports the novel blood-based biomarker Placental Growth Factor (PlGF) as a diagnostic test to accelerate the timely diagnosis of preeclampsia, enhancing care for hypertensive pregnant patients. Despite national endorsement, challenges like regional disparities and test standardization hinder PlGF implementation. The Canadian PlGF Strategy & Research Consortium convened with representation from clinicians, researchers, and patient partners to discuss the current state of PlGF testing. We universally agreed there is an urgent need to implement diagnostic PlGF testing to improve maternal and perinatal outcomes in Canada.

Laboratory Medicine is growing at a rapid rate in both the breadth of unique tests and the total number of tests performed per year. Inappropriate overutilization of laboratory tests can lead to patient harm, excessive environmental waste and increased carbon emissions. A focus on reducing inefficiencies in healthcare is needed to ensure a robust and sustainable healthcare system. To promote laboratory sustainability, the Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists (CSCC) has developed ten recommendations related to medical tests within clinical biochemistry. These recommendations are designed as 'low-hanging fruit' that should be adopted by both hospital and community laboratories. By implementing automated strategies and/or educational approaches to reduce misuse of laboratory resources, clinical laboratories can move toward a more sustainable model that improves patient care. This list of recommendations, created for Choosing Wisely Canada, covers tests for diabetes, celiac disease, monoclonal gammopathies, iron disorders, liver disorders, kidney disorders, substance use disorders, and allergen testing.