[Proposal for improving EQA programs in clinical microbiology by the Japanese Association of Medical Technologists].
External quality assessment (EQA) programs have been conducted by the Japanese Association of Medical Technologists (JAMT) since 1989. The nationwide EQA programs have provided feedback for improving clinical tests quality in individual laboratories. The participating laboratories have been expected to process the survey samples according to their usual practice for patient specimens. However, many problems relating to the EQA programs in clinical microbiology have been raised. Dishonesty in the responses, survey samples being handled in a manner that improves assessment results, surveys depending on volunteers because of time and cost limitations were some of the initial problems. In addition, the criteria used to evaluate the results were poorly understood, so that neither examiners not participants were clear as to how the evaluation worked. And finally, the nationwide EQA programs can detect only gross errors and use invalid methods for evaluating routine performances. They have been measuring only a few steps in specimens processing. To assess overall laboratory competence, other methods are needed. It is time to reform the JAMT nationwide EQA program to initiate real proficiency testing and to this end it is necessary to increase collaboration between JAMT and the regional associations of medical technologists, so that the improved testing program can be properly administered.
Inuzuka
Kazuhisa
K
Department of Microbiology, Anjo Kosei Hospital, Anjo 446-8602.
D003625:Data Collection; D007564:Japan; D013677:Medical Laboratory Science / Q000592:standards*; D008829:Microbiology / Q000592:standards*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D012958:Societies, Scientific