Participation in an EQA programme provides valuable data and information, which:

y allows comparison of performance and results among different test sites;

y provides early warning for systematic problems associated with kits or

operations;

y provides objective evidence of testing quality;

y indicates areas that need improvement;

y identifies training needs.

EQA helps to ensure customers, such as physicians, patients and health authorities,

that the laboratory can produce reliable results.

Individual laboratories can use EQA to identify problems in laboratory practices,

allowing for appropriate corrective action. EQA participation will help to evaluate

reliability of methods, materials and equipment, and to evaluate and monitor

training impact.

For laboratories performing public health$$related testing, EQA can help to ensure

that results from different laboratories during surveillance activities are comparable.

EQA participation is usually required for accreditation. Also, EQA participation

creates a network for communication, and can be a good tool for enhancing a

national laboratory network. Samples received for EQA testing, as well as the

information shared by the EQA provider, are useful for conducting continuing

education activities.

EQA programmes vary, but principal characteristics include the following:

y EQA programmes can either be free of charge or require a fee. Free EQA

programmes include those offered by a manufacturer to ensure equipment is

working correctly, and those organized by a regional or national programme for

quality improvement.

y Some EQA programmes are obligatory, either required by an accrediting

body or by law. Others are voluntary, and the quality manager may choose to

voluntarily participate in an EQA programme in order to achieve improvement

in the quality of the laboratory$$s performance.

y The EQA programme can be organized at different levels: regional, national or

international.

y Individual laboratory results are kept confidential, and generally are only known

by the participating laboratory and the EQA provider. A summary is generally

provided and allows comparison to the overall group.

$116$ Laboratory Quality Management System

$10-1$: Overview

y Some EQA schemes may address a single disease; for example, the EQA

programme for tuberculosis. Others may address many kinds of laboratory

tests, looking at the overall testing performance for microbiology. An example

of this multidisease or test programme is the national microbiology EQA in

France, which is obligatory.

Successful performance in an EQA programme reflects the effectiveness of the

laboratory$$s quality management, and allows for recognition of laboratory quality

by external groups.

EQA is important for improvement of the laboratory quality

management system, as it is a measure of laboratory performance.list some MCQ questions With answers: