We present and discuss observations regarding the results of the serum iron determination as seen in various surveys. The reference method proved to score different in our hands judging on the performance in the Dutch and German quality assessment schemes. Furthermore, it is clear and frustrating that these scores, representing the most accurate results, are becoming more and more labeled "out ...

The Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA 88) (1 ) have caused great changes not only in US laboratories but in clinical laboratories throughout the world. CLIA’s requirements for preand postanalytical control were harbingers of more complete approaches to the implementation of quality systems in clinical laboratories, such as the quality model just introduced by the National...

Proficiency testing programs (PTPs) have long been recognized as a tool that accreditation bodies and regulatory authorities (regulators) use to determine whether laboratories perform tests with acceptable results. PTPs can have additional purposes. This paper argues that PTPs should be perceived and overtly promoted as tools for laboratories to use as part of their quality assurance and contin...

Laboratories offering a quality service for the microbiological examination of food must implement a quality assurance system. An effective system should, in addition to daily quality control of procedures, consumables, and equipment, include external laboratory accreditation to a recognised standard, the use of validated test methods, and participation in an external quality assessment (profic...

Specimen 1 Organisms Referees Frequency Ext 1 Ext 2 571 Ascaris lumbricoides 18 Moderate to Many 15 49 545 Entamoeba coli 10 Moderate to Many 4 16 589 Schistosoma mansoni 6 Few to moderate 3 11 524 Parasite(s) found referred for ID 10 580 Trichuris trichiura 3 Few to moderate 6 544 Endolimax nana 2 2 574 Hookworm 1 546 Entamoeba hartmanni 1 548 Entamoeba histolytica / Entamoeba dispar 1 566 Hym...

In order for a proficiency testing program to receive HHS approval, the program must be offered by a private nonprofit organization or a Federal or State agency, or entity acting as a designated agent for the State. An organization, Federal, or State program seeking approval or reapproval for its program for the next calendar year must submit an application providing the required information by...

Proficiency testing (PT), recognized as a quality-assurance (QA) and quality-improvement tool, also has become the cornerstone of the Health Care Financing Administration's (HCFA) regulatory strategy under the revised Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act of 1967 (CLIA '67) and the proposed Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA '88). Use of PT as a regulatory tool corrupts it f...

We have conducted a voluntary, community blood-gas proficiency testing program, with use of tonometered human blood, for 32 analyzers located in 16 laboratories. Instruments initially showed inaccuracies as large as -30.8 to +17.3% for po(2), and -14.0 to +42.9% for pco(2), but inaccuracy and imprecision decreased in most laboratories during the program. For a typical 15-week period, mean group...