title: Errer rate, precision, and accuracy in immunohematology.
abstract: Quality control in the blood bank has traditionally been concentrated in the areas of reagents, equipment, and components. We have found that it can be extended to the measurement of error rate, accuracy, and reproducibility as well. We propose the use of a "correction rate" as a correlate of actual error rate, since numbers of errors in final ABO interpretations are infrequent and difficult ot accumulate. We have measured accuracy as the frequency of false positive anf false negative results, using weakly active antibodies both in the test situation and in actual practice. Finally, reproducibility can be measured with a series of coded duplicate samples covering the range of immunohematologic reactivity. By using these methods, a laboratory can regularly measure error rate, accuracy, and reproducibility as part of its quality control program.
mesh_terms: D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D001771:Blood Banks / Q000592:standards*; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D006386:Hemagglutination Tests; D006801:Humans; D011786:Quality Control; D012698:Serologic Tests / Q000592:standards*
chemical_list: D000017:ABO Blood-Group System