Evaluation of 18 quality indicators from the external quality assurance preanalytical programme of the Spanish Society of Laboratory Medicine (SEQCML)

Abstract

Most errors in laboratory medicine occur in the pre- and post-analytical phases of the total testing process (TTP). In 2014, the Spanish Society of Laboratory Medicine (SEQCML) started the current Preanalytical Phase EQA Programme, with the objective of providing a tool for the improvement of the preanalytical phase. The aim of this study was to review the evolution of quality indicators (QI) and the comparability of established performance specifications (PS) with other EQA programmes.

Keywords

• external quality assurance programmes
• performance specifications
• preanalytical phase
• quality indicators