Hematology laboratory standardization: a plan for harmonization in Asia

Area of Science:

• Clinical Laboratory Science
• Public Health
• Medical Technology

Background:

• Hematology laboratories are essential hospital services, with over 3,000 million people in Asia potentially utilizing complete blood count (CBC) testing.
• While automated technology has been available since the 1970s, many Asian laboratories still depend on manual methods for hemoglobin determination, hematocrit, and cell counting.
• Manual techniques, especially blood smear preparation and interpretation, present significant challenges for standardization across different personnel and laboratories.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the critical need for standardization in Asian hematology laboratories.
• To propose a strategy and action plan for achieving consistent and reliable hematology testing across the diverse geographical and methodological landscape of Asia.

Main Methods:

• Review of current hematology laboratory practices in Asia, highlighting the disparity between automated and manual methodologies.
• Analysis of challenges in standardizing manual techniques, including spectrophotometry, centrifugation, and manual cell counting.
• Identification of critical areas requiring standardization, such as blood smear preparation and interpretation.

Main Results:

• Significant variability exists in hematology laboratory practices across Asia.
• Manual methods for key hematological parameters are prone to inconsistencies.
• Standardization is crucial for ensuring accurate and comparable results in a region with diverse methodologies and a large population.

Conclusions:

• A unified strategy and action plan are necessary to overcome the challenges in standardizing hematology laboratories in Asia.
• Implementing standardized criteria will improve the quality and reliability of hematology testing services.
• Standardization efforts are vital for public health and patient care across the Asian continent.