Building patient- and context-specific frameworks for laboratory test interpretation

What does normal mean? Building patient- and context-specific frameworks for laboratory test interpretation Through routine laboratory testing, clinicians are able to measure a diverse array of physiologic signals of each patient. However, we often interpret these signals using generic, one-size-fits-all reference intervals. In this talk, I will explore how reference intervals are created, their strengths and limitations, and outline novel methods that can be used to create more context- and patient-specific interpretations of common lab markers. After this talk, attendees should be able to: 1. Assess current guidelines for the creation and verification of reference intervals. 2. Identify which common laboratory test markers have significantly individualized regulation. 3. Understand strengths and limitations of using reference intervals for test interpretation. Brody Foy, Dphil Assistant Professor, Informatics Dept. of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology University of Washington 01/14/2026 The University of Washington is committed to ensuring digital accessibility in our services, programs, and activities. If you encounter accessibility barriers using videos found on this channel, please contact UW Video at uwvideo [at] uw [dot] edu.