Tools, Technologies and Training for Healthcare Laboratories

Assessing an instrument by allowable u:Rw, MAU, and Sigma-metrics

Now that new performance specifications have been set for measurement uncertainty, how do instruments in the real world stack up? A well-designed mu study of a Roche cobas 6000 in Turkey provides a unique opportunity to benchmark.

Learning to see the real QC in hematology

Why is QC so starkly different in hematology? The ICSH has reviewed current practices, found them wanting, and has made recommendations for improvement.

The Need for a Mean Rule: Designing QC for Phosphorus

Here's a question about "Westgard Rules" that we get a LOT: "Does the violation of the 10x rule mean anything? Can we ignore it?" At the heart of this question is another, deeper question: what QC rules are actually necessary to assure the quality of a method? With the help of user-submitted data on a phosphorus method, we'll take a closer look at this question.

What's the TEa for D? Allowable Error for vitamin D

Stockl et al's landmark paper on vitamin D establishes desirable specifications for imprecision and inaccuracy (trueness). But what about total allowable error? With the use of QC Design tools, we can turn individual specifications into a broader quality requirement.

Glucose, European Biologic Goal

This example shows how to perform QC Design for a glucose method, using European biologic goals.