Connect Sign InAutoantibodies in Neurologic Disease: Improving Test Utilization to Ensure High-Quality Patient Care
Testing for autoantibodies in neurologic disease is often done as part of a broad workup when patients develop new neurologic symptoms. Indiscriminate testing can lead to misdiagnosis, increased healthcare costs, and unnecessary additional testing. When placing orders for these costly and time-consuming tests, clinicians are often unaware of where the testing will be performed, by what methodology, which antibodies may be included in any given panel, and how to interpret equivocal results. This knowledge gap presents a unique opportunity for laboratorians to educate their patient-facing physicians to improve patient care. This presentation will provide tools to help bridge this knowledge gap, empowering learners to advocate for high-quality patient care.
Dr. Tammy Smith is a clinical consultant in autoimmune neurology at ARUP Laboratories, an assistant professor of neurology at the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah, and a GRECC investigator at the George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Dr. Smith received her medical degree from the University of Utah School of Medicine as well as a doctorate in microbiology and immunology from the University of Utah. She completed a residency in neurology at Rush University Medical Center and a fellowship in autoimmune neurology at the University of Utah School of Medicine. Dr. Smith is board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and is a member of the American Academy of Neurology and the American Neurological Association. Her research interests include autoimmune neurology, paraneoplastic neurologic disease, and immunodeficiency.
