Abstract
A novel approach to external quality assessment (EQA) using the Internet mimics the diagnostic situation so that multiple tests can be requested and EQA cases can be ‘tailor made’ to address a specific chromosome syndrome, disease, or clinical dilemma. The web-based EQA system was trialled on a large UK EQA scheme, UK NEQAS for Clinical Cytogenetics. It has also been used to implement a new Cytogenetics European Quality Assessment scheme, CEQA, set up with the intention of providing laboratories in countries without access to a local EQA scheme the opportunity of participation in EQA. Overall, Internet-based EQA allows for a varied EQA programme. Poor performance was detected in both CEQA and UK NEQAS constitutional EQA schemes and also in the UK NEQAS oncology EQA scheme. The Internet-based EQA overcomes submission delays due to international surface mail. There is also a reduction in administration and assessors’ time compared to a retrospective EQA involving the submission of unique cases for EQA assessment, as participants analyse the same three Internet-based EQA cases simultaneously. Many EU27 (EU member states) laboratories still do not participate in their national EQA schemes, so until EQA participation becomes mandatory as a component of compulsory laboratory accreditation, the quality of laboratory diagnostic service is unpredictable.
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References
ISO 15189:2003: Medical Laboratories—Particular Requirements for Quality and Competence http://www.iso.org/iso/standards_development/technical_committees/list_of_iso_technical_committees.htm.
OECD 2007: OECD Guidelines for Quality Assurance in Molecular Genetic Testing, www.oecd.org/sti/biotechnology/ (also applicable to cytogenetic laboratories).
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Acknowledgements
We acknowledge all the laboratories that participated in the Internet-based EQA and provided helpful feedback. We also thank all the assessors who were involved in these EQAs: Oliver Bartsch, Carolyn Campbell, Nicole Dastugue, Richard Ellis, Martine Doco-Fenzy, Brigitte Faas, Graham Fews, Giovanna Floridia, Nicola Foot, Mike Griffiths, Karsten Held, Dom McMullen, Edna Maltby, Sheila O’Connor, Carmen Ramos, Sarah Ryley, Marta Rodriguez de Alba, Fiona Ross, Kalle Simola, Francisco Sole, Manuel Teixeira, and Kath Smith. The software was developed by Waypoint Systems. This web-based EQA system was funded through CPA (UK) Ltd, UK NEQAS for Clinical Cytogenetics and EuroGentest. This paper was completed with the support of EuroGentest (grant no. LSHB-CT-2004-512148).
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Hastings, R., Maher, E., Quellhorst-Pawley, B. et al. An Internet-based external quality assessment in cytogenetics that audits a laboratory's analytical and interpretative performance. Eur J Hum Genet 16, 1217–1224 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejhg.2008.82
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ejhg.2008.82
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