title: Quality control of automated cell counters.
abstract: The hematology analyzers of today provide more reproducible analyses compared with those of a few decades ago, necessitating an evolution in hematology quality practices. The improved performance allows use of simple quality control rules. This improved performance also renders the repeat analysis of critical value specimens non value added. Some of the patient averaging techniques have become outmoded and need to be replaced by less complicated calculations but with truncation of predictable outlying populations. The ready availability of comparative peer quality control values helps to improve analyzer precision and accuracy, and simplifies instrument validation and calibration.
authors: Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, 4B1.24 Mackenzie Health Sciences Centre, University of Alberta Hospital, 8440-112 Street, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada. Electronic address: george.cembrowski@albertahealthservices.ca.
authors: George S
authors: GS
authors: Cembrowski
authors: Canadian Blood Services, Medical Office 8249 -114th Street, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R8, Canada.
authors: Gwen
authors: G
authors: Clarke
mesh_terms: D001772:Blood Cell Count / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D011786:Quality Control; D012015:Reference Standards; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
keywords: Average of patients; Biologic variation; Critical values; Delta checks; External quality assessment; Hematology; Quality control