External Quality Assessment of Stat Test Intralaboratory Turnaround Times. Pilot Study from the Members of the Working Group for the Standardization and Promotion of Turnaround Time Control under the Auspices of the Comitato Italiano per la Standardizzazione die Metodi Ematologici e di Laboratorio
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Mauro Negri
Abstract
We describe procedures, results and prospects of a pilot program in External Quality Assessment (EQA) of the stat test intralaboratory turnaround times. Our goals are to promote quality by systematic monitoring and comparison of performances by laboratories, continuous investigation into the state of the art of the processes from receipt of sample to transmission of results and creation of a data base for standardization of measures and definition of consensus values for turnaround time.
Of 30 laboratories invited to participate, 25 took part, agreeing to record times of arrival and transmission for all determinations of three analytes (blood hemoglobin, serum/plasma potassium and plasma prothrombin time) for seven consecutive days and to continue for one or more further periods of seven days as necessary if there were less than 300 determinations for each analyte. Within a preset time limit, data were sent by e-mail on an Excel™ file and we sent back two reports per analyte, showing: i) the graph for time vs. percentage of tests completed and several measures of turnaround time; ii) results of all laboratories in graph form, allowing each laboratory to identify only its own data.
The high proportion of participating laboratories among those invited (83 %) encourages us to implement the EQA program systematically, on a half-yearly basis, extending it to all laboratories wishing to participate in Italy or elsewhere in Europe.
Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co. KG
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Articles in the same Issue
- Expert Systems for the Interpretation of Serum Proteins
- Proteome in Perspective
- Usefulness of Chromogranin A as a Marker for Detection of Relapses of Carcinoid Tumours
- Comparison of Tissue Polypeptide Antigen (TPA) with Cancer Antigen 15-3 (CA 15-3) and Carcino-embryonic Antigen (CEA) in Follow-up of Breast Cancer
- Continuous Analysis in Extracorporeally Circulating Blood - A Rat Model Applying Flow-Through Ion-Selective Electrodes for the Measurement of Ca2+, K+, Na+ and pH
- Improved Specificity of a New Direct Assay for Urinary Cortisol: Application in Corticoid Treated Patients
- Quantitative Automated Particle-Enhanced Immunonephelometric Assay for the Routinary Measurement of Human Cystatin C
- External Quality Assessment of Stat Test Intralaboratory Turnaround Times. Pilot Study from the Members of the Working Group for the Standardization and Promotion of Turnaround Time Control under the Auspices of the Comitato Italiano per la Standardizzazione die Metodi Ematologici e di Laboratorio
- Biological Effects of Eleven Combined Oral Contraceptives on Serum Triglycerides, γ-Glutamyltransferase, Alkaline Phosphatase, Bilirubin and other Biochemical Variables
- Diagnostic and Prognostic Value of Biochemical Markers in Malignant Bone Disease: A Prospective Study on the Effect of Bisphosphonate on Pain Intensity and Progression of Malignant Bone Disease
- IFCC Committee on Standardization of Markers of Cardiac Damage: Premises and Project Presentation
- Medical Microbiology by C. Mims, J. Playfair, I. Roitt, D. Wakelin and R. Williams
- The Scientist as Consultant. Building New Career Opportunities by Carl J. Sindermann and Thomas K. Sawyer
