Quality in clinical laboratory is a continuous journey of improving processes through team work, innovative solutions, regulatory compliance with final objective to meet the evolving needs of clinicians & patients.
Troubleshooting QC Problems: Your QC has failed, what do you do next?Randox
Randox Quality Control's next 'Improving Laboratory Performance Through Quality Control' educational guide has been published with helpful tips that your laboratory can use in order to ensure it has effective troubleshooting procedures in place.
So you ran QC this morning and realised that one of your analytes has been flagged as 'out-of-control', what do you do next? Do you ignore the warning and continue patient testing, repeat the control until it's within range or do you halt patient testing and investigate the source of the error?
When it comes to troubleshooting QC errors, unfortunately there is no easy path to take. However, it's important that you have standard operating procedures in place, outlining what to do in the event of an out-of control error. Errors occur in laboratories all over the world. A lab with effective troubleshooting procedures in place will still have errors but will be able to detect them, quickly reducing their impact and reducing the risk of wasting both time and money.
Clinical laboratory total quality management (TQM) systemTapeshwar Yadav
Generally, management can be defined as “an ongoing process that seeks to achieve the objectives of an organization in the most efficient ways possible”.
Only sound management of quality in health laboratories will enable countries to produce test results that the international community will trust in cases of international emergency.
Medical laboratory work is composed of the technical activities that produce laboratory results for patient care and the management activities that support the technical work.
It is the job of the laboratory technical staff to perform pre-analytic activities, analytic activities and post analytic activities that transforms a clinician’s order for a laboratory test.
Quality in clinical laboratory is a continuous journey of improving processes through team work, innovative solutions, regulatory compliance with final objective to meet the evolving needs of clinicians & patients.
Troubleshooting QC Problems: Your QC has failed, what do you do next?Randox
Randox Quality Control's next 'Improving Laboratory Performance Through Quality Control' educational guide has been published with helpful tips that your laboratory can use in order to ensure it has effective troubleshooting procedures in place.
So you ran QC this morning and realised that one of your analytes has been flagged as 'out-of-control', what do you do next? Do you ignore the warning and continue patient testing, repeat the control until it's within range or do you halt patient testing and investigate the source of the error?
When it comes to troubleshooting QC errors, unfortunately there is no easy path to take. However, it's important that you have standard operating procedures in place, outlining what to do in the event of an out-of control error. Errors occur in laboratories all over the world. A lab with effective troubleshooting procedures in place will still have errors but will be able to detect them, quickly reducing their impact and reducing the risk of wasting both time and money.
Clinical laboratory total quality management (TQM) systemTapeshwar Yadav
Generally, management can be defined as “an ongoing process that seeks to achieve the objectives of an organization in the most efficient ways possible”.
Only sound management of quality in health laboratories will enable countries to produce test results that the international community will trust in cases of international emergency.
Medical laboratory work is composed of the technical activities that produce laboratory results for patient care and the management activities that support the technical work.
It is the job of the laboratory technical staff to perform pre-analytic activities, analytic activities and post analytic activities that transforms a clinician’s order for a laboratory test.
Troubleshooting Poor EQA/QC Performance in the Laboratory Randox
Step by step guide for clinical laboratories wishing to troubleshoot poor QC or EQA performance. Tips on how to distinguish between random error and systematic error. Suggested corrective actions are also provided.
Laboratory Internal Quality Control presentation master revision, 2014Adel Elazab Elged
Short presentation about using internal quality control material in clinical laboratory to ensure analytical quality laboratory results for the sake of better patient care and minimizing errors in diagnosis, management, and follow up.
Preanalytical quality control practices in clinical laboratoryDr. Rajesh Bendre
Preanalytical variables contribute maximally to lab errors. However, these variables are most difficult to control as they include human dependency for phlebotomy skills & pretest patient conditioning. Quantifying & monitoring these variables is also more challenging. Use of checklists, continuous training, competency assessments, internal audits & clinician education for appropriate test utilization form some of the tools for improving the preanalytical processes.
Global Manager Group has prepared presentation to provide information about Medical Laboratory Accreditation Standard - ISO 15189 and about Documentation kit. All the documents like quality manual, procedures, SOPs, audit checklist, etc that required for the ISO 15189 Certification process. are described in details in this presentation.
Recently ISO 15189:2022 have become available. This would help laboratories set up processes which would yield reproducible results and improve the quality of work.
How often is Right for Laboratory Quality Control?Randox
Improving Laboratory Performance Through QC - How often is right for QC? Ask the Right Questions to get the Right Answers.
It is widely accepted that laboratories should perform QC at least every day of patient testing. However, is this adequate for every assay and for every laboratory? Is running QC once per day really sufficient? what is the "right" frequency for running QC samples in your laboratory?
What is quality?
Importance of a quality management system in the laboratory
Quality system essential elements
The history of development of quality principles
Discuss relationship of this quality model to ISO and CLSI standards
Monitoring External Quality Assessment / Proficiency Testing Performance - Investigating the source of the problem.
In order to identify the source of the problem it is useful to be aware of the most common causes of poor EQA performance. Errors can occur at any
stage of the testing process however EQA is most concerned with detecting analytical errors i.e. errors that occur during the analysis of the sample.
Most analytical errors can be easily divided into three main areas; clerical errors, systematic errors and random errors. Systematic errors result in
inaccurate results that consistently show a positive or negative bias. Random errors on the other hand affect precision and result in fluctuations in
either direction.
Designing an appropriate QC procedure for your laboratoryRandox
Improving Laboratory Performance Through Quality Control - Five Simple Steps for QC Success.
It is easy to get caught up in an abundance of QC statistics and forget the fundamental reason why
QC exists in the first instance. QC is about detecting errors and ensuring that the results you
produce are accurate and reliable. All QC procedures should focus on reducing the risk of harm
to the patient. We are not examining statistics; we are examining real patients, real results and real
lives. Around 70% of all medical decisions are based on laboratory results, which is why it is of
utmost importance that each and every laboratory, has a well-designed QC procedure in place.
Troubleshooting Poor EQA/QC Performance in the Laboratory Randox
Step by step guide for clinical laboratories wishing to troubleshoot poor QC or EQA performance. Tips on how to distinguish between random error and systematic error. Suggested corrective actions are also provided.
Laboratory Internal Quality Control presentation master revision, 2014Adel Elazab Elged
Short presentation about using internal quality control material in clinical laboratory to ensure analytical quality laboratory results for the sake of better patient care and minimizing errors in diagnosis, management, and follow up.
Preanalytical quality control practices in clinical laboratoryDr. Rajesh Bendre
Preanalytical variables contribute maximally to lab errors. However, these variables are most difficult to control as they include human dependency for phlebotomy skills & pretest patient conditioning. Quantifying & monitoring these variables is also more challenging. Use of checklists, continuous training, competency assessments, internal audits & clinician education for appropriate test utilization form some of the tools for improving the preanalytical processes.
Global Manager Group has prepared presentation to provide information about Medical Laboratory Accreditation Standard - ISO 15189 and about Documentation kit. All the documents like quality manual, procedures, SOPs, audit checklist, etc that required for the ISO 15189 Certification process. are described in details in this presentation.
Recently ISO 15189:2022 have become available. This would help laboratories set up processes which would yield reproducible results and improve the quality of work.
How often is Right for Laboratory Quality Control?Randox
Improving Laboratory Performance Through QC - How often is right for QC? Ask the Right Questions to get the Right Answers.
It is widely accepted that laboratories should perform QC at least every day of patient testing. However, is this adequate for every assay and for every laboratory? Is running QC once per day really sufficient? what is the "right" frequency for running QC samples in your laboratory?
What is quality?
Importance of a quality management system in the laboratory
Quality system essential elements
The history of development of quality principles
Discuss relationship of this quality model to ISO and CLSI standards
Monitoring External Quality Assessment / Proficiency Testing Performance - Investigating the source of the problem.
In order to identify the source of the problem it is useful to be aware of the most common causes of poor EQA performance. Errors can occur at any
stage of the testing process however EQA is most concerned with detecting analytical errors i.e. errors that occur during the analysis of the sample.
Most analytical errors can be easily divided into three main areas; clerical errors, systematic errors and random errors. Systematic errors result in
inaccurate results that consistently show a positive or negative bias. Random errors on the other hand affect precision and result in fluctuations in
either direction.
Designing an appropriate QC procedure for your laboratoryRandox
Improving Laboratory Performance Through Quality Control - Five Simple Steps for QC Success.
It is easy to get caught up in an abundance of QC statistics and forget the fundamental reason why
QC exists in the first instance. QC is about detecting errors and ensuring that the results you
produce are accurate and reliable. All QC procedures should focus on reducing the risk of harm
to the patient. We are not examining statistics; we are examining real patients, real results and real
lives. Around 70% of all medical decisions are based on laboratory results, which is why it is of
utmost importance that each and every laboratory, has a well-designed QC procedure in place.
Improving Laboratory Performance Through Quality Control - The role of EQA in...Randox
Randox Quality Control's five simple steps to QC success. The second education guide from Randox QC for clinical laboratory staff. The guide will examine how EQA works, benefits of EQA and what a laboratory should look for when choosing an EQA scheme.
RIQAS External Quality Assessment for Medical Laboratories Randox
RIQAS (Randox International Quality Assessment Scheme) is the world's largest global EQA provider serving over 24,000 laboratory participants in more than 105 countries. Our comprehensive programme offering covers a wide range of routine and esoteric analytes enabling laboratories to significantly reduce the number of programmes they participate in while helping to reduce costs at the same time.
More than 24,000 laboratory participants
Present in over 105 countries
22 flexible EQA programmes
Cost effective options to suit all labs
Accredited to ISO/IEC17043:2010
Frequent analysis with rapid feedback
User friendly yet comprehesive reports
End-of-cycle reports provided
Submit results and view reports online via RIQAS.net
Register up to five analysers per programme at no extra cost
Acusera Third Party Quality Controls for Medical Laboratories Randox
With over 350 parameters available in our Acusera range, choice and flexibility is guaranteed. Moreover the availability of truly independent third party controls coupled with the added advantages of highly accurate target values, increased stability and unparalleled quality will optimise performance, save valuable time and minimise waste in any laboratory.
Our comprehensive range of multi-analyte controls have been uniquely developed with ease of use in mind, combining up to 100 parameters in one convenient control laboratories can significantly reduce the need for multiple, costly single analyte controls.
Consolidation
100% human controls for immunoassay purposes
Most accurate target values
Unrivalled stability
Most consistent controls
True third party controls
Multi-reglas de control de calidad (CC) son diseñadas y utilizadas para minimizar falsos rechazos y mantener una alta tasa de detección de errores. Hay seis reglas principales que son utilizadas para determinar si los resultados de una serie de muestras de pacientes deben ser aceptadas o rechazadas, basadas en el rendimiento de los materiales de control contra los criterios de las reglas. Diferentes combinaciones pueden ser aplicadas en función del número de controles, al error total permisible y al instrumento en uso. El siguiente diagrama de flujo se usa a menudo para determinar si una corrida debe ser aceptada o rechazada.
Acusera 24.7 Interlaboratory Data Management Randox
Acusera 24•7 Live Online is an interlaboratory data management package designed to complement the Acusera range of Internal Quality Controls. Created to help laboratories effectively manage and interpret their QC results, the analytical capabilities of Acusera 24•7 Live Online, coupled with the superior quality and flexibility of our Acusera control range, will revolutionise your laboratory's workflow enabling early identification of any trends or system errors.
Acusera 24.7 Live Online will automatically calculate internal QC statistics including mean, standard deviation and CV. The ability to apply user defined QC multi-rules will help to reduce false rejections and maintain a high level of error detection.
Online access anytime, anywhere
Peer group data from over 20,000 participants
Peer group statistics updated daily
Unique dashboard highlights poor performance
Interactive charts combining multiple analytes, lots and instruments
Comprehensive reports including audit trail reports to aid accreditation
Automated QC result entry via Acusera 24•7 Connect
Total Quality Management (TQM) by Dr Anurag YadavDr Anurag Yadav
Laboratory Total Quality Management, Concept of Laboratory errors, the quality control material, quality assurance program, factors affecting the quality of report, Steps in quality management, PDCA cycle, accuracy, precision, EQAS, IQAS, Proficiency testing.
the details are related to medical laboratory and help MBBS, MD, BSc MLT, MSc MLT, etc
Basic QC Statistics - Improving Laboratory Performance Through Quality Contro...Randox
Randox Quality Control's latest educational guide examines Internal Quality Control, External Quality Assessment, Why laboratories should run QC, How often laboratories should run QC, Basic QC statistics and the quality control process.
Medical Laboratory Accreditation and its utilization in Japan - Katsuo KubonoMara International
The 3rd GCC Laboratory Proficiency Conference is organized as part of the strategic orientations of the GCC Standardization
Organization (GSO) for the development of the standardization and quality infrastructure, thereby contributing to the development of commerce and industry and to the support of national economy in the GCC member states.
Since the field of proficiency testing is newly introduced in the GCC member states and as the infrastructure of laboratories has not yet taken the shape of national or regional organizations representing the laboratories and reflecting their requirements, GSO is in need of meeting with a considerable group of laboratories to explore and prioritize GCC member states’ requirements in terms of the fields which must top the list of the fields to be developed and upgraded.
Based on the study conducted by GSO during 2011 on the status of proficiency testing activities in the member states which shown that the laboratories operating in the member states are in need of a unified data center on proficiency testing activities, GSO
organized two conferences in 2013 and 2014 on the subject. The conferences scored high rates of success in terms of the selected scientific material, quality of speakers and the targeted audience.
Accordingly, GSO conceptualization of the method of coordinating and upgrading the activity of proficiency tests in the GCC member states included a recommendation on the organization of annual training courses and awareness symposia by the GSO on the fields of proficiency tests.
This year’s Conference will be held in Dubai during two days the 24th and 25th of March 2015, and will coincide with the annual Analytical Industry exhibition ARABLAB which will be held in Dubai during the period 23 – 26 March 2015.
White Paper Quality Control for Point of Care TestingRandox
Point of care testing (POCT) refers to testing that is performed near or at the site of a patient with the result leading to a possible change in the care of the patient.
Quality Control for Point of Care Testing - White PaperRandox
Point of care testing (POCT) refers to testing that is performed near or at the site of a patient with the result leading to a possible change in the care of the patient. Over the past few years, the popularity and demand of POCT has been growing rapidly. This should come as no surprise as there are many advantages to POCT, for example, the added convenience of being able to obtain a rapid result at the patient’s bedside, thus allowing immediate action, saving time and improving the potential outcome for the patient.
How to establish QC reference ranges - Randox QC Educational GuideRandox
Establishing QC reference ranges is an important aspect of laboratory quality. Find out how to effectively set reference ranges with our educational guide.
Randox QC offer an extensive range of third party quality controls. Manufactured independently, the Acusera range delivers unbiased performance assessment with any instrument or method, helping to meet ISO 15189:2012 requirements whilst simultaneously eliminating the need for multiple instrument dedicated controls.
Acusera 24.7 is an interboratory data management software capable of automatically calculating measurement of uncertainty and six-sigma. With real time peer group updates and user friendly comprehensive charts and reports including Levey Jennings and histograms, our Acusera 24.7 software is now smarter, faster and more efficient than ever before!
Acusera 24.7 Interlaboratory Data Management - June 17 LT244Randox
Acusera 24.7 Live Online version 2.0 is here! Faster, smarter and more efficient than ever before, this interlaboratory data management program will be sure to help streamline internal QC in all laboratories regardless of size.
Acusera Verify Linearity Verification - June 17 LT674Randox
Our Acusera Linearity Sets are perfect for laboratories wishing to challenge the full reportable range of their instruments. With sets available for Roche & Beckman analysers, our sets are sure to meet all your laboratory and regulatory requirements.
RIQAS is the largest international External Quality Assessment (EQA)/ Proficiency Testing (PT) scheme, there are currently more than 45,000 participants in 133 countries.
There are different types of QC material and each format will have it's own advantages & disadvantages. Each format will also need to be handled differently and this guide aims to explain the different methods for preparing each type of control.
QC Multi-rules are designed and used to minimise false rejections and maintain a high rate of error detection. There are six main rules used to determine if results from a run of patient samples should be accepted or rejected, based on the performance of control materials against the rule criteria. Different combinations can be applied depending on the number of controls in use, total allowable error and the instrument in use. The flow chart below is often used to determine if a run should be accepted or rejected.
QC Multi rules - Improving Laboratory Performance Through Quality ControlRandox
Randox Quality Control's latest educational guide examines and explains what QC Multi-Rules are, How to identify an out of control event with QC rules, How to use QC Multi-Rules, The different types of analytical errors, The tools to assist labs and how a lab can troubleshoot QC errors.
The laboratory shall determine measurement uncertainty for each measurement procedure,
in the examination phases used to report measured quantity values on patients’ samples. The
laboratory shall define the performance requirements for the measurement uncertainty of each
measurement procedure and regularly review estimates of measurement uncertainty.
EQA: An Essential Tool for Laboratory Quality - Africa LT649
1. External Quailty Assessment:
an Essential Tool for
Laboratory Quality
QUALITY CONTROL
Complete QC solutions for results you can trust
2. Considering that 75% of the information used by physicians to make a diagnosis is derived from laboratory test results, it is vital that
laboratories perform regular checks to ensure the results released are accurate and reliable.
The objective of Quality Control is to detect laboratory errors and ultimately, prevent the release of inaccurate test results which
could lead to misdiagnosis, inappropriate treatment or treatment delays, all of which could be potentially life threatening for the
patient. Quality Control will also decrease the need for repeat tests, directly reducing costs as a result.
A good Quality Control programme should incorporate both Internal Quality Control (IQC)
and External Quality Assessment (EQA).
The use of IQC alone is not a sufficient measure of laboratory performance. Participation in an EQA scheme is also required to
ensure confidence in patient results.
While IQC will effectively monitor the reproducibility or precision of laboratory testing, it doesn’t enable laboratories to monitor
bias or accuracy. Accuracy refers to how close the result generated by the laboratory is to the true value of the sample. In order
to effectively monitor accuracy, laboratories must participate in an EQA programme.
Best Laboratory Prctices
‘The laboratory shall participate in interlaboratory comparisons such as those organised by
external quality assessment programmes. Laboratory management shall monitor the results
of external quality assessment and participate in the implementation of corrective actions
when performance criteria are not fulfilled’
ISO 15189:2012 Medical Laboratories: Requirements for quality and competence
Internal
Quality
Control
External
Quality
Assessment
Total Quality Assurance
EQA: an Essential Tool for Laboratory Quality
3. Implementation of an EQA scheme,although appearing to represent additional costs to the laboratory’s budget,will in the long term
decrease expenditure, increase productivity and, most importantly, improve performance and minimise patient risk.
Benefits of EQA
EQA – More than just Accreditation
• Provides management with an holistic view of test system performance that IQC alone cannot provide
• Identify potential equipment or reagent faults as well as staff training requirements and issues with staff competency
• Reduce the cost and time associated with expensive repeat tests
• Compare performance with other analytical methods on the market
• Initiate corrective action and evaluate the effectiveness of corrective actions
• Provides an independent assessment of laboratory accuracy for added confidence in patient test results
What Medical Professionals Say About EQA
The following real life testimonials show how EQA has helped laboratories in Africa to improve quality and performance.
“EQA has proved to be of huge benefit to our laboratory. This is mainly because of the narrow SD which ensures
that only accurate results are acceptable. EQA has been an eye opener to the shortfalls of our lab. We expect our
performance to improve and subsequently our reliability to clinicians.”
Tinei Makurumure, Quality Assurance Manager, Multi-Tech Diagnostics, Harare, Zimbabwe
“EQA has helped me and my team to identify problems associated with the calibration of my analyser. This has been
extremely beneficial in running my lab. It gives me confidence in my results and indicates where problems may arise.”
Mrs Anya, Laboratory Manager, Reddington Hospital, Lagos Nigeria
“EQA has improved our laboratory performance and increased our confidence. A good EQA scheme has the potential
to offer a wide range of parameters, covering a broad spectrum, rapid turnaround of results and user-friendly reports.
It should provide Multi – Instrument reports, allowing a laboratory to compare accuracy between their instruments.”
Dr Veena Vyas, Head of Department (Pathology) The Aga Khan Hospital, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
“The Nairobi hospital has been using EQA for more than two decades and throughout this period we have been happy
partners. EQA provides samples that cover our entire test panel including; blood gas, therapeutic drugs, immunoassay,
biochemistry, urinalysis & haematology. Frequent samples are most appropriate for our hospital enabling us to identify
non-conforming tests quickly. A good EQA scheme will provide a good reporting format to interpret results and enable
us to sustain our ISO 15189 accreditation.”
Dr Peter Kariuki, Deputy Manager of Laboratory Services, The Nairobi Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya
“Our laboratory is a hospital and clinical lab which seeks high technical quality to ensure reliable results. That is why we
enrolled for an EQA programme, aware that it provides valuable data and information which will ensure accurate results
for our customers, e.g., physicians, patients, health authorities and NGOs alike. EQA provides early warning to problems
in laboratory practices, allowing appropriate corrective action and continuous quality improvement.”
Mrs Maria Santo, Laboratory Manager, ICOR - Instituto do Coração Maputo, Mozambique
4. Real Life Case Studies Highlighting the Importance of Running Both IQC and EQA in a Laboratory
The following case studies highlight the importance of participating in a reputable EQA scheme in addition to daily IQC to ensure
laboratory quality and prevent the release of incorrect patient results, which could be potentially life threatening.
Detecting Concentration Issues
• Upon the review of their EQA report, Laboratory
‘A’ observed poor performance for Procalcitonin.
This was evident from the report’s Levey-Jennings chart,
which showed erratic dispersal of results.The
laboratory’s 1st Party IQC results however, remained
within acceptable ranges
• On examining the 1st
party IQC kit inserts it was
evident that the level 1 and level 3 were not at
clinically relevant levels and were not accurately
assessing the full range of the assay
Conclusion
A good EQA scheme provides samples covering a wider
spread of concentrations. Therefore, the EQA highlighted
the weaknesses of the range of the Procalcitonin assay
which the laboratory’s 1st Party IQC failed to detect.
Detecting Issues Hidden by Inadequate IQC
• Laboratory ‘B’ received EQA reports highlighting poor
EQA performance for Amylase but their IQC results
were within 2SD limits
•The laboratory contacted their EQA provider who
explained that although their IQC results were within
2SD, when the % deviation from the target is calculated
2SD was equal to 20%
•The acceptable limits of performance used by the EQA
scheme were much narrower, where 2SD was equal to
10% of the target value
•Therefore EQA proved to be a more stringent assessment
of the laboratory’s performance
Conclusion
In this example, participation in an EQA scheme
highlighted that the acceptable ranges provided by the QC
manufacturer were unrealistically wide, thus masking an
issue with the test system and ultimately resulting in the
laboratory falsely believing that its results were accurate.
Financial and Human Impact of Misdiagnosis
Avoidable repeat tests cost the
US $200 million every year
“Globally, best estimates put the
incidence of diagnostic error in
assessing patients in the range of
10% to 15%” (1)
Studies put the number of diagnostic
errors in Australia at 140,000 cases a
year, with 21,000 cases of serious harm
and between 2000 and 4000 deaths.
In 2008, medical errors cost the United States $19.5 billion.
About 87% or $17 billion were directly associated with additional
medical cost, including: ancillary services, prescription drug
services, and inpatient and outpatient care. (2)
1. http://theconversation.com/the-hidden-problem-of-medical-misdiagnosis-and-how-to-fix-it-14662
2. J Health Care Finance. 2012 fall; 39(1):39-50.The economics of health care quality and medical errors. Andel C1, Davidow
SL, Hollander M, Moreno DA
5. How does EQA Work?
EQA provides a means of periodically assessing laboratory performance in comparison with other laboratories using the same
method and instrument. Unlike IQC, EQA provides an effective method of monitoring a laboratory’s bias or accuracy through the
analysis of samples of unknown concentrations, otherwise known as ‘blind samples’. It also enables assessment of the complete
testing process including pre-analytical, analytical and post analytical phases.
After analysis,results are submitted to the scheme organiser for statistical evaluation. Laboratories will subsequently receive a report
comparing their performance to that of other participants in the programme.The diagram below illustrates how EQA works.
REGISTER
1
36.000 mg/dl
84.800 IU/ml
132.000 ng/ml
Certificate of Participation
Stephen Doherty
RIQAS Manager
Randox International Quality Assessment Scheme
Randox Laboratories Ltd., 55 Diamond Road, Crumlin, Co.Antrim, BT29 4QY, United Kingdom
PR-281APR15
<Name>
<Laboratory/Hospital>
abc
Place an order with your local
Randox representative. Register by
completing enrolment document and
submit at least 3 weeks before the
cycle starts
1
You will receive a
set of numbered
samples for the
cycle along with a
username/password
for RIQAS.Net *
2
Analyse the sample on the
recommended date
3
Enter and submit
results online
before the final
deadline
4 Receive report
within 72 hours and
review to assess
performance
5
Certificates will be awarded
at the end of the cycle
providing that more than half
of the results are returned
6
QUALITY CONTROL
* Provision can be made for labs without internet access
6. Levey-Jennings
Levey-Jennings charts are useful for
monitoring performance over time,
allowing instant identification of any
trends or bias. Ideally, results should fall
within 1SD (white region) either side of
the mean.
Participation in an EQA scheme alone will not automatically improve quality or performance. Perhaps the main value of participating
in an EQA scheme lies in the report generated by the scheme provider. Not only should reports be comprehensive, covering a
wide range of statistics and charts, it is also important that they are user-friendly and easy to interpret. The ability to understand an
EQA report will maximise the benefits of participating in an EQA scheme.
Understanding EQA Reports: the key to improving performance and quality
Histogram
Histograms provide a quick, visual
indication of how your laboratory
performs in relation to the instrument
mean, method mean and all method
mean.
% Deviation by concentration chart
Helps to quickly and easily identify any
concentration related bias within a test
system.
Target score chart
Unique to RIQAS, theTarget Score
chart provides a visual indication of
performance for the last 20 samples. A
target score of 50 or more is considered
acceptable.
7. When choosing an EQA scheme to complement your IQC there are several factors to be considered. The below checklist is
designed to help you choose, not only the most cost effective, but the highest quality EQA scheme.
Essential Criteria for Choosing an EQA Scheme
• Large number of participants increasing statistical
validity and ensuring availability of peer group data
for a wide range of analytical methods
• Accreditation to ISO/IEC 17043:2010
• Frequent analysis ensuring system errors are
identified as early as possible
• Rapid report turnaround allowing corrective
actions to be taken immediately with minimum risk
to patients
• Samples that cover the complete clinical range and
behave in the same manner as patient samples
• Ability to register multiple instruments
• Multi-analyte programmes allowing effective
consolidation
• User-friendly yet comprehensive reports allowing
at-a-glance performance assessment
For EQA to be fully effective in improving laboratory performance, we must train laboratory staff on the importance
of Quality Management, and more specifically on the application of EQA programmes and the interpretation of the
reports that are generated. Training modules available to participating laboratories include:
• Importance of Quality Assurance and Quality Control in the Laboratory Setting
• Eliminating Analytical Error: Identifying Random and Systematic error
• Quality tools to reduce cost and improve the quality of patient results
• ISO15189 & ISO 17043- Quality Accreditation in the Clinical Laboratory
• Troubleshooting laboratory errors - workshop
• EQA report interpretation - workshop
• Pre-analytical, analytical and post analytical error - workshop
Randox continues to bring innovative new products to the IVD market every year, investing up to 16% of revenue in
R&D. With around 25% of the company’s personnel focused on research and engineering, Randox is, and will continue
to be, at the cutting edge of a fast moving dynamic industry.
Randox: Committed to Training and Education
The only provider to fully meet these requirements is RIQAS; the world’s EQA scheme of choice
8. Randox Laboratories Ltd, 55 Diamond Road, Crumlin, County Antrim, BT29 4QY, United Kingdom
+44 (0) 28 9442 2413 +44 (0) 28 9445 2912 marketing@randox.com randoxqc.com
Information correct at time of print. Randox Laboratories Ltd is a subsidiary of Randox Holdings Limited a company registered within Northern Ireland with company number N.I. 614690. VAT Registered Number: GB 151
6827 08. Product availability may vary from country to country. Please contact your local Randox representative for information. Products may be for Research Use Only and not for use in diagnostic procedures in the USA.
QUALITY CONTROL
find out more
LT649JUN15
Comprising almost 360 routine and esoteric parameters in 24 comprehensive
and flexible EQA programmes, RIQAS is designed to cover all areas of clinical
testing. Each programme benefits from a wide range of concentrations, frequent
reporting and comprehensive yet user-friendly reports.
The largest global EQA scheme with over 31,000 lab participants
mail@riqas.com riqas.net riqas.com
abc
RIQAS
Programme
Parameter
Options
RIQAS
Programme
Parameter
Options
Ammonia/Etanol 2 Immunoassay Speciality II 5
Blood Gas 10 Lipid 3/7
BNP 1 Liquid Cardiac 9
Cardiac 2/7 Maternal Screening 6
Coagulation 5/17 Serology (EBV) 3
ESR 1 Serology (HIV/Hepatitis) 10
General Clinical Chemistry 10/17/50 Serology (Syphilis) 1
Glycated Haemoglobin 2 Serology (ToRCH) 12
Haematology 11 Specific Proteins 26
Human Urine 25 Therapeutic Drugs 18
Immunoassay 4/13/55 Urinalysis 14
Immunoassay Speciality I 10 Urine Toxicology 20