Biochemia Medica, Vol. 27 No. 1, 2017.
Case report
https://doi.org/10.11613/BM.2017.011
External Quality Assessment in Croatia: problems, challenges, and specific circumstances
Jasna Lenicek Krleza
orcid.org/0000-0002-2554-4034
; Department of Laboratory Diagnostics, Children’s Hospital Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Ivana Celap
; Clinical Institute of Chemistry, University Hospital Centre Sestre milosrdnice, Zagreb, Croatia
Jelena Vlasic Tanaskovic
; Department of Laboratory Diagnostics, General Hospital Pula, Pula, Croatia
Abstract
In Croatian medical laboratories (ML), external quality assessment (EQA) has a long tradition of almost half of a century. At national level, EQA is provided by Croatian Centre for Quality Assessment in Laboratory Medicine (CROQALM) which is a part of Croatian Society of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine.
This case study aimed to summarize the main challenges, which are set to CROQALM and their possible solutions.
CROQALM has 10 schemes, covering majority of analysis for which medical biochemistry laboratories in Croatia are authorized for, including pre-analytical and post-analytical phase of laboratory work. Assessment scheme has three exercises per year. One sample per scheme and exercise is distributed to participants depending on their application. All data transfer and evaluation of the results are done using web interface and statistical software for evaluation of quality in laboratory medicine.
Since CROQALM has relatively small number of participating laboratories (N = 197) with lot of different manufacturers of instruments used for analysis in all schemes, constant challenges are present in the evaluation of the results (commutability problems, statistical analysis etc.). Further, number of participating medical laboratories is even lower for highly specific parameters, which are in the scope of clinical laboratories only.
Despite the obstacles we are faced to, EQA at national level is useful tool regarding standardization and harmonization aspects in total testing process within the country. Furthermore, it gives participating laboratories recognition and proof for meeting expected quality criteria in the community they serve.
Keywords
external quality assessment; commutability; allowable limit of performance; standardization; harmonization
Hrčak ID:
176205
URI
Publication date:
15.2.2017.
Visits: 1.382 *