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Harmonising EQA schemes the next frontier: challenging the status quo.
1Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia Quality Assurance Programs, St Leonards, Sydney, Australia.
Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine
|May 16, 2020
Summary
Standardizing laboratory results through external quality assessment (EQA) is crucial for patient safety. However, current EQA providers face challenges in delivering essential resources, necessitating collaborative solutions for harmonized laboratory medicine.
Area of Science:
- Laboratory Medicine
- Clinical Chemistry
- Quality Assurance
Background:
- Standardization and harmonization of laboratory results are essential to minimize patient misinterpretation across different testing facilities.
- External Quality Assessment (EQA) plays a vital role in evaluating the need for harmonization and tracking the effectiveness of harmonization initiatives.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the challenges faced by External Quality Assessment (EQA) providers in meeting participant demands for harmonized laboratory results.
- To propose a path forward for the harmonization of EQA schemes, emphasizing the need for leadership and collaboration.
Main Methods:
- The study reviews the current state of EQA provision and participant needs.
- It identifies critical components required for effective EQA, including commutable materials, reference method targets, clinically relevant levels, data analysis, and educational support.
Main Results:
- EQA providers are struggling to supply participants with essential resources like commutable materials and comprehensive data analysis.
- There is a growing gap between the demands of harmonization and the current capabilities of EQA schemes.
Conclusions:
- The harmonization of laboratory results requires robust support systems and resources from EQA providers.
- Leadership from a trusted organization, such as the European Organisation for External Quality Assurance Providers in Laboratory Medicine, is crucial for advancing EQA harmonization.
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