EXTERNAL QUALITY ASSESSMENT
How innovation and science drive the development of EQA
EQA scheme directors Chantell Hodgson and Becky Treacy explain the complex and rigorous process that demands experience and in-depth clinical and laboratory knowledge to produce purposeful external quality assessment.
With over 400 ISO17043 accredited EQA programmes, including interpretive EQA, pre- and post-analytical surveillance and EQA for Point-of-Care Testing (POCT) as well as individual competency assessments, UK NEQAS is firmly at the forefront of developing EQA for the UK and internationally. Yet we know that many people are unaware of the process for developing new EQA, what triggers a new EQA, and who is involved.
Articulating the benefits Great EQA takes a huge investment of time and knowledge to develop, so the benefits of a new EQA have to be clearly articulated before a new scheme is created. We collaborate and engage with a suite of expert advisors, including clinical staff, advisory board members, scientists and other stakeholders to determine when new EQA is required. Like us, these experts are at the forefront of their work and are aware of what is happening across their specialism. We continuously reflect on potential changes on the horizon such as soon-to-be- approved drugs, new technology, or new guidelines that may necessitate new or modified EQA. This is underpinned by reviewing scientific literature, participating in and delivering conferences and continually observing practices worldwide. Feedback from current users
14
and professional bodies drive continuous improvement and best practice, to assure the development of quality improvement for new processes or practices. Some EQA development is driven by the centres themselves as they see the benefit of introducing a new scheme or reformatting an existing scheme before
the users can themselves. In many cases there is an important
regulatory and/or diagnostic requirement for EQA, supporting continuous improvement and adherence to best practices. However, EQA has a practical role in identifying poor performance enabling laboratories to investigate the root cause. It’s important to reiterate that EQA is a vital tool for delivering independent assurance that laboratories return the correct results and the correct interpretation of results. It assures the reliability, consistency and reproducibility of laboratory internal practices including their methodology, materials and equipment, and it ensures that processes and practices meet established standards and regulatory requirements. EQA
Input from advisory boards, expert advisors and laboratory staff ensures that a new EQA programme is practical, can be implemented, and serves the appropriate value.
DECEMBER 2024
WWW.PATHOLOGYINPRACTICE.COM
AdobeTsock / MP Studio
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
