The Middle East External Quality Assessment Scheme for Clinical Chemistry

Abstract

SUMMARY. The establishment and first 7 years' operation of an external quality assessment scheme for clinical chemistry in the Middle East region are described. The scheme utilises specimens distributed previously in the UK, and the performance of participating laboratories is assessed relative to the UK consensus values, taking account of method. Variance Index scoring has been used to quantitate performance, and there has been an improvement in average scores during the operation of the scheme. There are currently 88 participants, though some laboratories which failed to return results regularly were removed from the scheme. The consensus values from the scheme itself have now been validated, and in future the scheme should operate independently.

The Middle East External Quality Assessment Scheme for Clinical Chemistry: The First Decade

“…somewhat over the years, despite fluctuations brought about by the inclusion of new laboratories [3], and possible changes in composition of the control sera. The pattern of mean OMRVIS against time thus shows some improvement (Figure 3).…”

“…The organization of the scheme has been described elsewhere [2,3]. It is based on the scheme that has been operating successfully in the United Kingdom for over 20 years [2,4].…”

“…It is based on the scheme that has been operating successfully in the United Kingdom for over 20 years [2,4]. Briefly, specimens are distributed from Riyadh by courier service every six months to the further parts of the region, but are personally collected by local participants.…”

“…A pilot study carried out in the late 1970s confirmed that the IQC procedures in operation by a number of laboratories in the Kingdom were inadequate and did not reflect their true performance. Subsequent inquiries revealed that many of these laboratories were interested in participating in an external quality assessment scheme (EQAS) [2].…”

External Quality Assessment of Jordanian Clinical Chemistry Laboratories

“…The mean CVs for these EQA schemes were calculated for the same period as the present study. 3 In general there was greater inter-laboratory variation in Jordan than in the other schemes In the first study, standard solutions of glucose, urea and cholesterol, 'covering normal and abnormal ranges, were distributed on two occasions. The recalculated CVs obtained in these two trials were II· 48% and 12 '100/0 for glucose, 14· 73% and 16· 01 % for urea and 11' 89% for cholesterol, well within the corresponding ranges obtained for control sera (Table 3).…”