External quality assessment programs of laboratory test results conducted by the Central Center for Quality Research in Laboratory Diagnostics in 2019

Abstract

In 2019, the Central Center for Quality Research in Laboratory Diagnostics conducted 24 editions as part of eight external quality assessment programs. Four programs (in the field of clinical chemistry, hematology, parameters of acid-base balance and ISE electrolytes, and coagulatory) were conducted with the frequency of four editions a year, which gradually adjusts the implementation of the programs to the requirements of the Regulation of the Minister of Health of December 15, 2017 (Journal of Laws No. U. 2017, item 2394). The other four programs, for financial reasons, were conducted with the frequency of two editions a year. In 2019, the Central Center also maintained a procedure for transporting control material samples to laboratories by courier. In total, 558.947 control test results from 1542 polish medical diagnostic laboratories were assessed in 2019. In seven programs carried out in 2019, the percentage of correct results according to the adopted group criteria was slightly higher compared to 2018. Only in the hematology program, the percentage of correct results according to group means was lower due to the applied limits of the acceptable error limits. It is worth emphasizing thatthe annual regularity assessments obtained in 2019 are comparable to those obtained in 2018.