Bedside glucose monitoring. Comparison of performance as studied by the College of American Pathologists Q-Probes program.
OBJECTIVE
To measure changes in practice characteristics and accuracy of bedside glucose monitoring between studies performed in 1991 and 1994.


METHODS
Participants in a 1991 and a 1994 bedside glucose monitoring study of the College of American Pathologists Q-Probes program were compared using data collected by a questionnaire for 15 quality variables and data from paired specimens for accuracy. Accuracy goals of bedside testing were those defined by the American Diabetes Association as within 10% of the laboratory value. Accuracy was estimated using a daily paired comparison of patient specimens for 30 days, one bedside glucose instrument, and individuals who commonly performed these measurements.


METHODS
Institutions subscribing to the College of American Pathologists' voluntary quality improvement program, Q-Probes.


METHODS
In 1991 and 1994, 605 and 544 institutions collected data about performance characteristics, whereas 171 and 242 institutions participated in the accuracy components, respectively.


METHODS
Changes in accuracy between 1991 and 1994.


RESULTS
When compared, improvement occurred for 12 of 15 quality variables. However, no significant changes were found for the percentage of values within stated accuracy goals.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the process of bedside glucose testing improved between the 1991 and 1994 studies, the testing accuracy remained unchanged.
Howanitz
P J
PJ
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles Medical Center, CA 90095-1713, USA.
Jones
B A
BA
D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000592:standards*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis*; D015190:Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000592:standards; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007753:Laboratories; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems / Q000592:standards*; D011786:Quality Control; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012955:Societies, Medical
D001786:Blood Glucose