Quality Flashcards
What is QC? Internal vs External
Set of procedures and measures implemented in a pathology laboratory to ensure the accuracy, reliability, and consistency of laboratory test results.
It involves the regular use of control materials, monitoring systems, and performance checks to detect, reduce, and correct errors in the analytical process.
Internal QC
- Performed daily or per batch using known control samples.
- Involves running commercially prepared control samples with known values.
- Ensures that analyzers are performing correctly
Review of QC:
- Daily QC logs and Levey-Jennings charts are used to monitor trends and identify shifts or random errors.
- Immediate corrective action is taken if QC results fall outside acceptable ranges.
External QC
- Periodic participation in national EQA programs
- Compares the lab’s results with those from other labs or a central body.
- Assesses overall performance and identifies potential systematic errors.
External Quality Assurance:
- a program in which multiple specimens are periodically sent to laboratories for analysis and/or identification, in which each laboratory’s results are compared with those of other laboratories in the group and/or with an assigned value, and reported to the participating laboratory and others.
Such a program may also compare an individual’s results with those of their peer group.
SOP - Standard Operating Procedures
Clear instructions for sample handling, analyzer operation, and result validation.
Ensures consistent practices across personnel and shifts.
Levey-Jennings charts
Used in to monitor internal quality control (IQC) results over time.
Provided a visual representation of how a control result compares to the expected value and help in detecting:
- Systematic errors (trends or shifts)
- Random errors (scattered or erratic results)
- Analyzer drift over time
Charts are essential for early detection of problems with hematology analyzers (e.g., for complete blood count, WBC differential, platelet counts) before patient results are released.
