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.

1. Adel Osama Sayed
Quality Manager
Al Borg Medical Laboratories

2. What is IQAS
Inter-laboratory Quality Assessment
Surveys; a program enables a laboratory
to compare its performance against
other laboratories and assure the
accuracy and reliability of test results it
provides.

3. Purpose of IQAS
Powerful tool to identify the problems with
methods/equipments, ensure the effectiveness of the training
of new staff and be used in evaluating staff performance.
To satisfy national accreditation; Central Board for
Accreditation of Healthcare Institutions (CBAHI)
To be preparatory phase for laboratories that will go for
international Accreditation

4. IQAS Processes
Samples Preparation;
Distributes samples on the regular schedule;
The participants analyze the tests and report results
to the IQAS provider;
The results are subjected to statistical analysis
based on ISO 13528 standards using robust mean
and standard deviation;
The participants are received their evaluation

6. 2010 : Split samples between two Al Borg Branches
HCV Jeddah Dammam Machine Grade
IMH-01 Negative Negative Axsym Acceptable
IMH-02 Positive Positive Axsym Acceptable
HIV Jeddah Dammam Machine Grade
IMH-01 Positive Positive Axsym Acceptable
IMH-02 Negative Negative Axsym Acceptable

7. 2011
 Start with one pool for specific tests , run between
Al Borg Branches
 Evaluation based on standard deviation index (SDI)
SDI = (R-M)/SD
R = Participant result
M = Target mean value
SD = Standard deviation for peer group

8. Chemistry Round
Participants Glucose Urea U.A Creat Cholest TG
Jeddah 79 43 4.1 2.29 170 161
Makka-2 88 49 4.4 1.92 182 180
Al Samer 79 44 4.3 2.3 176 159
Al Salama 75 41 4.3 2.2 161 150
Al Thagher 82 44.8 4.2 2.4 183 158
Al Madinah 80 44 4.3 2.4 179 162
HAIL 80 43 4.1 2.3 176 166
GIZAN 79 45 4.1 2.3 179 158
Makka-1 85 35 4 3.5 190 175
ABHA 81 41 4.2 2.2 178 145

9. SDI Score
Glucose Urea U.A Creat Cholest TG
Peer Mean 81.75 43.74 4.28 2.38 179.81 164.13
Peer SD 3.44 3.27 0.15 0.33 8.11 9.72
DI Jeddah -0.80 -0.23 -1.20 -0.26 -1.21 -0.32
DI Makka-2 1.82 1.61 0.78 -1.39 0.27 1.63
DI Al Samer -0.80 0.08 0.12 -0.23 -0.47 -0.53
DI Al Salama -1.97 -0.84 0.12 -0.54 -2.32 -1.45
DI Al Thagher 0.07 0.32 -0.54 0.07 0.39 -0.63
DI Al Madinah -0.51 0.08 0.12 0.07 -0.10 -0.22
DI HAIL -0.51 -0.23 -1.20 -0.23 -0.47 0.19
DI GIZAN -0.80 0.39 -1.20 -0.23 -0.10 -0.63
DI Makka-1 0.95 -2.67 -1.86 3.43 1.26 1.12
DI ABHA -0.22 -0.84 -0.54 -0.54 -0.22 -1.97

10. TSH Sample

11. 2012:
 Participation some of Al Borg Clients
 Running the program with 2 samples

14. 2013
Participation of more Clients
Using new evaluation software based on ISO
13528
Introduction of graphics for performance scores

15. Statistical Calculations (ISO13528) Alb AST Ca Chol Creat Glu HDL K ALT T.P Urea Uric Acid
Unit g/dl U/l mg/dl mg/dl mg/dl mg/dl mg/dl mmol/l U/l g/dl mg/dl mg/dl
Assessment |Z|<=2 |Z|<=2 |Z|<=2 |Z|<=2 |Z|<=2 |Z|<=2 |Z|<=2 |Z|<=2 |Z|<=2 |Z|<=2 |Z|<=2 |Z|<=2
No. of laboratories that submitted
results
15 21 15 19 21 21 17 8 20 10 20 19
No. of laboratories with
quantitative values
15 21 15 19 21 21 17 8 20 10 20 19
Assigned value 4.3 18.3 8.1 187.0 1.36 100.2 43.4 4.7 1.9 6.9 33.0 5.0
Target s.d. 0.2 1.8 0.4 9.3 0.10 5.0 6.5 0.5 0.2 0.3 2.5 0.4
Lower limit of tolerance 3.8 14.6 7.3 168.3 1.15 90.2 30.4 3.7 1.5 6.2 28.1 4.1
Upper limit of tolerance 4.7 21.9 8.9 205.7 1.56 110.3 56.4 5.6 2.3 7.6 38.0 5.8
Standard error 0.1 0.6 0.2 1.4 0.03 1.3 0.8 0.1 0.4 0.1 0.6 0.0

16. Plan of 2014
Increase number of participants
Standardized the program (sample
preparation, statistical calculations,…..) with
full support of GSO
Increase number of samples in each round
Introducing surveys covering tests not in a
formal proficiency testing programs

17. Plan of 2014
√ Increase number of participants … 60 participants
√ Standardized the program with full support of GSO
With the help of GSO, we cooperate with one of expert in
the field of statistical treatment of PT to upgrade our
system to conform to ISO/IEC 17043.
√ Increase number of samples in each round
Increase number of chemistry samples to be 3 instead of 2
samples per round and planning to be 4 per round

18. Signing of Memorandum of Understanding

19. Looking for
Introducing Educational
Activities
Introducing Surveys for tests not
covered by formal PT program

20. THANK YOU