title: ASVCP quality assurance guidelines: external quality assessment and comparative testing for reference and in-clinic laboratories.
abstract: The purpose of this document is to educate providers of veterinary laboratory diagnostic testing in any setting about comparative testing. These guidelines will define, explain, and illustrate the importance of a multi-faceted laboratory quality management program which includes comparative testing. The guidelines will provide suggestions for implementation of such testing, including which samples should be tested, frequency of testing, and recommendations for result interpretation. Examples and a list of vendors and manufacturers supplying control materials and services to veterinary laboratories are also included.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Melinda S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Camus
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.
authors.forename: Bente
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Flatland
authors.affiliation: IDEXX Laboratories Ltd., Wetherby, UK.
authors.forename: Kathleen P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.affiliation: IDEXX Laboratories Inc., Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Janice A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cruz Cardona
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002138:Calibration / Q000592:standards; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D007753:Laboratories / Q000592:standards*; D008370:Manuals as Topic; D017056:Medical Laboratory Personnel / Q000592:standards; D010341:Pathology, Veterinary / Q000592:standards; D011786:Quality Control; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012958:Societies, Scientific / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D014730:Veterinary Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards
keywords: ASVCP guidelines; QALS committee; comparative testing; external quality assurance