Standardization in laboratory medicine: Adoption of common reference intervals to the Croatian population

Abstract

provide useful information about the state of health of patients, determination of reference value is considered an intrinsic part in the development of laboratory medi cine. There are still huge differences in the analytical methods used as well as in the associated reference intervals which could consequently significantly affect the proper assessment of patient health. In a constant effort to increase the quality of patients' care, there are numerous international initiatives for standardiza tion and/or harmonization of laboratory diagnostics in order to achieve maximum comparability of laboratory test results and improve patient safety. Through the standardization and harmonization processes of analytical methods the ability to create unique reference intervals is achieved. Such reference intervals could be applied globally in all laboratories using methods traceable to the same reference measuring system and analysing the biological samples from the populations with similar sociodemographic and ethnic characteristics. In this review we outlined the results of the harmonization processes in Croatia in the field of population based reference intervals for clinically relevant blood and serum constituents which are in accordance with ongoing activity for worldwide standardization and harmonization based on traceability in laboratory medicine. AbstractConsidering the fact that the results of laboratory tests MINIREVIEWS 93March 26, 2016|Volume 6|Issue 1|

International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis core curriculum project: Core competencies in laboratory thrombosis and hemostasis

“…International harmonization also improves quality of laboratory diagnostics. 9,10 Strategies for selecting appropriate tests and performing state-ofthe-art diagnostic procedures to include appropriate and meaningful interpretation of hemostasis and thrombosis laboratory results are essential to ensure that referring clinician and patients understand the results, especially as the selection of optimized diagnostic pathways and reporting of laboratory results to patients will become more commonplace moving forward. 6,11 While some medical regulatory bodies identify a limited number of thrombosis and hemostasis laboratory competencies for medically trained individuals, non-physician trained specialists are not regulated through the same governing bodies as physicians, thus minimal guidance is provided by regional and national governing bodies on expectations for a thrombosis and hemostasis laboratory specialist.…”

“…Moreover, the Argentine Cooperative Group on Haemostasis and Thrombosis (CAHT Group) created a Laboratory Working Group to identify difficulties and needs faced by hemostasis laboratories, as well as discuss and agree on actions to improve performance. International harmonization also improves quality of laboratory diagnostics . Strategies for selecting appropriate tests and performing state‐of‐the‐art diagnostic procedures to include appropriate and meaningful interpretation of hemostasis and thrombosis laboratory results are essential to ensure that referring clinician and patients understand the results, especially as the selection of optimized diagnostic pathways and reporting of laboratory results to patients will become more commonplace moving forward …”

CLSI-based verification and de novo establishment of reference intervals for common biochemical assays in Croatian newborns

“…Harmonized reference interval studies have a well-defined reference population, optimal control of preanalytical and analytical variables and narrow confidence limits around the established reference intervals ( 1 , 2 , 6 , 7 ). In Croatia, harmonized reference intervals are used for most analytes, but the last revision of the used reference intervals by age group was carried out in 2016, which is why it was necessary to review recent literature data on studies of harmonized reference intervals ( 8 ). Several national and international initiatives for pediatric reference interval harmonization have been formed during the past two decades, the most comprehensive study being the Canadian Laboratory Initiative on Pediatric Reference Intervals (CALIPER) ( 3 , 4 , 7 ).…”

Steering Standardization of Pathology Services Through Centralisation and Consolidation of Laboratory Procurement

“…As a patient may be followed-up in different hospitals or health clinics within a region, incomparable and diverse quality of testing results between the laboratories may increase the risk of diagnostic errors and subsequently compromise the patient care and safety (2,3). Take serum creatinine, an important parameter in the diagnosis and classification of chronic kidney diseases (CKD) as an example.…”