Quality control results are flagged on a daily basis, and each lab may have different procedures to resolve the issue. As bench technologists are faced with an abrupt stop to their workflow and delayed reports, there are immediate actions to take following an out of control event. This webinar will discuss steps to recover from an out of control event and how to continue evaluating patient results after recovery.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify the first 2 steps to take after an out-of-control event

2. Define how to evaluate your patient results after a QC out-of-control event

3. Outline at least one way how to correct erroneous results

Resources:

Best Practices To Recover From An Out-Of-Control Event Handout

Q&A Session Best Practices to Recover From An Out-Of-Control Event

The increasing spread of variants across the globe raises questions about the effectiveness of existing programs to protect public health. Join Dr. Lauring, a researcher of virus mutations, to learn about the biological properties of the variants and the ability to effectively diagnose and vaccinate against SARS-CoV-2 and their impact on COVID therapies.

Learning Objectives:

1. Distinguish between Variants of Concern and Variants of Interest

2. Identify variant attributes that could affect diagnostic testing

3. Summarize the latest data on variants and vaccine efficacy

Resources:

The Diagnostic: Clinical Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Variants Handout

The effective use of Quality Control (QC) does not stop once QC results are accepted and patient testing begins. The key to reliable patient results and consistent laboratory processes is by managing QC data generated from multiple instruments. Dr. Nichols will discuss how to review and manage QC data, provide practical advice on using QC to assess laboratory performance, and offer guidance on troubleshooting QC trends and shifts.

In this webinar, learn how to obtain and analyze information from your QC data to ensure the quality of your laboratory systems.

After this presentation, attendees will be able to:

• Review QC data for shifts and trends
• Critically assess laboratory performance against peers
• Identify the danger of making frequent QC range adjustments

Resources:

Practical Tips Manage Lab QC Data Handout

Q&A Session Practical Tips to Manage Laboratory QC Data

Two aspects of the Cost of Quality are important in the medical laboratory—the theory behind the quality cost types and the application of those cost types to laboratory activities. The labor and materials expended in your laboratory are either costs that support good quality or costs of poor quality. However, laboratory operating budget reports don’t show this important difference because the financial effects of the cost of poor quality appear only as line item overruns. Then at budget time, when the laboratory makes across-the-board cuts to the entire budget, costs that support good quality, such as equipment maintenance, quality control, and personnel training are also reduced. Everyone in the laboratory should understand the basic principles of the cost of quality.

This program contains material from the recently revised Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guideline QMS20, The Cost of Quality in the Medical Laboratory. The program reviews the four types of quality costs and provides laboratory examples. Case studies generic to every laboratory highlight how the quality costs types are applied to routine laboratory activities and show how to identify each cost type. Participants are given a basic tool to track the costs of quality in their laboratories, which helps eliminate recurring sources of poor quality.

Learning Objectives:

1. Discuss each of the 4 types of quality costs with relevant laboratory examples

2. Calculate the cost of poor quality for a defined laboratory problem

3. Link current laboratory quality indicators to the costs of poor quality

Resources:

Cost of Quality and the Medical Laboratory 2020

Q&A Sessions Cost of Quality

Using an independent quality control material provides several advantages over a manufacturer quality control. This presentation will discuss real cases using quality control in a clinical lab, troubleshooting methods, and how independent quality control can provide valuable information to resolve issues.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify and troubleshoot quality control issues in a lab setting.

2. Recognize the benefits of an independent quality control and the advantages provided by an interlaboratory comparison program

Resources:

Independent Quality Control Handout

Q&A Session Independent QC

Quality Control design has for many years been focused around instrument performance. But with the new risk management approaches emerging the focus is now moving to the risk of erroneous results for patients. This presentation will describe this new approach designed to prevent patient harm from erroneous results to acceptable levels.

Learning Objectives:
1. Identify the steps in patient risk managed QC strategy design.
2. Explain how to set the Severity of Harm category for an analyte.
3. Describe 2 components of the QC design that can be changed to minimize patient risk.

Resources:

QC Strategies Based on Risk Management

Q&A Sessions Risk Management

Designing a good QC plan can be a daunting task. These simple recommendations can provide guidance to the lab and are essential to include in a good QC plan. They have been used and proven effective by many labs.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify factors in QC error that contribute to increased patient risk.

2. Describe ways in which quality risk management has contributed to an added set of values that the laboratory should be aware of.

3. Recommend 5 QC practices which you can apply in your lab.

Resources:

Bio-Rad Laboratories QC Webinar: 10 simple QC Practices

Best QC Practices Q&A