title: A practical tool for monitoring the performance of measuring systems in a laboratory network: report of an ACB Working Group.
abstract: Background A logical consequence of the introduction of robotics and high-capacity analysers has seen a consolidation to larger units. This requires new structures and quality systems to ensure that laboratories deliver consistent and comparable results. Methods A spreadsheet program was designed to accommodate results from up to 12 different instruments/laboratories and present IQC data, i.e. Levey-Jennings and Youden plots and comprehensive numerical tables of the performance of each item. Input of data was made possible by a 'data loader' by which IQC data from the individual instruments could be transferred to the spreadsheet program on line. Results A set of real data from laboratories is used to populate the data loader and the networking software program. Examples are present from the analysis of variance components, the Levey-Jennings and Youden plots. Conclusions This report presents a software package that allows the simultaneous management and detailed monitoring of the performance of up to 12 different instruments/laboratories in a fully interactive mode. The system allows a quality manager of networked laboratories to have a continuous updated overview of the performance. This software package has been made available at the ACB website.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Barking, Havering & Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: Pete
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ayling
authors.affiliation: 2 UK Renal Registry, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Blood Sciences, Harrogate District Foundation Trust, Harrogate, UK.
authors.forename: Nuthar
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jassam
authors.affiliation: 4 Department of Clinical Chemistry, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kallner
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Barking, Havering & Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Khatami
mesh_terms: D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D011786:Quality Control; D012107:Research Design; D058028:Research Report; D012984:Software
keywords: Analytical systems; statistics