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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 11, 2026

Author Spotlight: Design and Evaluation of Au-Electroplated Carbon Fiber Cloth Electrodes for Hydrogen Peroxide Fuel Cells

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Proficiency testing programs--promises, progress, and problems. A 40-year prospective.

R H Laessig¹, S S Ehrmeyer

¹Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine

|April 1, 1988

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Proficiency testing has improved laboratory quality for 40 years, meeting clinical needs. However, new challenges like regulating physician office labs and evolving methodologies require updated evaluation systems for continued progress.

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Area of Science:

Clinical Laboratory Science
Medical Diagnostics
Quality Assurance

Background:

Proficiency testing (PT) has been integral to interlaboratory quality improvement for over four decades.
Its integration with the regulatory process for nearly 20 years has driven significant improvements in US laboratory work quality.
Despite successes, the synergy between regulation and education in PT remains suboptimal.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate the historical success and current challenges of proficiency testing in clinical laboratories.
To identify limitations in current PT grading and performance evaluation systems.
To explore the need for updated approaches to maintain the promise of PT.

Main Methods:

Analysis of the historical impact of proficiency testing on laboratory quality.
Examination of the evolving landscape of clinical laboratory methodologies and regulatory demands.
Assessment of the suitability of existing PT grading and evaluation systems.

Main Results:

Laboratory quality, particularly precision, has significantly improved and often meets or exceeds clinical requirements.
The expansion of "physicians' office laboratories" presents new regulatory and logistical challenges.
Current grading and evaluation systems are becoming inadequate due to advancements in laboratory methodologies.

Conclusions:

Proficiency testing has largely fulfilled its promise of enhancing laboratory quality.
Existing PT frameworks face challenges with new laboratory types and advanced techniques.
Further innovation and knowledge are essential to adapt PT for the future of the clinical laboratory community.