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Internal Quality Control Practices in Coagulation Laboratories: recommendations based on a patterns-of-practice
A McFarlane1, B Aslan1, A Raby1
1Institute for Quality Management in Healthcare (IQMH), Toronto, ON, Canada.
International Journal of Laboratory Hematology
|June 26, 2015
Summary
Internal quality control (IQC) practices for coagulation testing show variability among Ontario laboratories. Standardized IQC procedures are recommended to improve accuracy and reliability of patient test results.
Area of Science:
- Clinical Laboratory Science
- Hematology
- Quality Assurance
Background:
- Internal quality control (IQC) is essential for accurate patient test results.
- The IQMH Centre for Proficiency Testing surveyed current IQC practices in coagulation testing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate current internal quality control (IQC) practices in coagulation testing.
- To identify variability in IQC procedures among Ontario laboratories.
Main Methods:
- A web-based survey was conducted.
- 174 Ontario laboratories performing prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) were surveyed.
Main Results:
- All labs use commercial QC (CQC); 12% use pooled patient plasma.
- >68% run CQC at shift start, 56% post-maintenance/reagent changes.
- IQC frequency often follows manufacturer recommendations (71%), with variability in monitoring (SD, precision goals) and failure actions.
Conclusions:
- Significant variability exists in coagulation IQC practices across Ontario laboratories.
- Standardized IQC practices are recommended to enhance accuracy and reliability.
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