Spanish society of laboratory medicine external quality assurance programmes: evolution of the analytical performance of clinical laboratories over 30 years and comparison with other programmes

Control externo de la calidad en medicina del laboratorio. Avances y futuro

Objectivos

Un programa de control externo distribuye las mismas muestras control entre varios laboratorios y evalúa los resultados obtenidos con un criterio común. El objetivo de este trabajo es resumir la evolución de los programas externos, poner de manifiesto los progresos conseguidos y deducir consecuencias prácticas para el laboratorio participante.

Métodos

El material es una breve revisión de los diferentes tipos de programas externos utilizados a lo largo de cuarenta años. El método es el análisis crítico de las ventajas e inconvenientes de cada modelo, a la luz de nuestra experiencia.

Resultados

A mitad del siglo XX se iniciaron los programas EQA, detectándose gran discrepancia entre resultados emitidos por distintos laboratorios. Se desarrollaron EQA en muchos países y se propusieron mecanismos para armonizarlos, como: establecer especificaciones derivadas de la variación biológica, promover el uso de métodos analíticos homogéneos, usar el EQA como herramienta educacional. A partir del 2000 se hacen importantes avances: asegurar el adecuado uso clínico de las pruebas del laboratorio, utilizar material control conmutable con el espécimen humano, armonizar los distintos modelos de EQA, promover una organización de cooperación entre organizadores de programas EQA.

Conclusiones

Participar en un EQA con controles conmutables y valores asignados por método de referencia certificado permite conocer la inexactitud real de los resultados y el impacto en las muestras de pacientes. Si se participa en programas con controles no conmutables solo se conoce si la prestación del laboratorio es similar a la de otros usuarios del mismo método analítico.

Internal quality control - past, present and future trends

Objectives

This paper offers an historical view, through a summary of the internal quality control (IQC) models used from second half of twentyth century to those performed today and wants to give a projection on how the future should be addressed.

Methods

The material used in this work study are all papers collected referring IQC procedures. The method used is the critical analysis of the different IQC models with a discussion on the weak and the strong points of each model.

Results

First models were based on testing control materials and using multiples of the analytical procedure standard deviation as control limits. Later, these limits were substituted by values related with the intended use of test, mainly derived from biological variation. For measurands with no available control material methods based on replicate analysis of patient' samples were developed and have been improved recently; also, the sigma metrics that relates the quality desired with the laboratory performance has resulted in a highly efficient quality control model. Present tendency is to modulate IQC considering the workload and the impact of analytical failure in the patent harm.

Conclusions

This paper remarks the strong points of IQC models, indicates the weak points that should be eliminated from practice and gives a future projection on how to promote patient safety through laboratory examinations.

External quality control in laboratory medicine. Progresses and future

Objectives

An external quality control program distributes same control samples to various laboratories and evaluates results obtained with a common criterion. The aim of this work is to summarize the evolution of various types of external programs, to point out the progresses ant to preclude practical consequences of the participant laboratories.

Content

The material consists on a brief revision of the different types of external programs that have been used for the last forty years. The method is the critical analysis of the strong and weak points of each program model, from the light of our experience. External quality assessment (EQA) programs were initiated at half the XX century, evidencing big discrepancies among laboratory results. EQA were developed in various countries and some mechanisms to harmonize them were proposed: to establish common performance specifications derived from biological variation, to use EQS as educational tool. Since the 2000 important advances were seen: to focus EQA to assure the adequate clinical use of laboratory tests, to use commutable controls, to harmonize the different EQA models, to promote a forum for co-operation and exchange of knowledge on quality-related matters for EQA organizers.

Summary and Outlook

To participate in an EQA with commutable-reference method assigned values controls allows to know the real inaccuracy of results and their impact on patient' samples. To participate in a EQA with non commutable controls allows to know whether the individual laboratory performance agrees with that from other laboratories using same analytical method.