Analysis on the results of external quality assessment for quality indicators of clinical laboratory in China / 中华医院管理杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To analyze the implementation of the external quality assessment plan for quality indicators of clinical laboratories in China from 2016 to 2021, as well as that of the external quality assessment of 15 quality indicators in clinical laboratories, in order to provide reference for quality management of clinical laboratory specialties.Methods:The research data was collected from the external quality assessment plan for quality indicators, which was conducted by the National Center for Clinical Laboratories joining the clinical laboratory centers of 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities directly). The essential information reported by each participating clinical laboratory from 2016 to 2021 and the external quality assessment data of 15 quality indicators in clinical laboratories were collected, followed by a descriptive analysis on the number of participating laboratories and the number of returns for each indicator. Median representation was used for the external quality assessment data of 15 quality indicators in clinical laboratories, and the TOPSIS method was applied to comprehensively evaluate the quality of the total testing process of participating clinical laboratories in each year.Results:From 2016 to 2021, the number of laboratories participating in the external quality assessment plan for quality indicators of clinical laboratory increased from 7 704 to 12 142. Quality indicators in pre-analytical phases the incorrect sample type rate, incorrect sample container rater, and incorrect fill level rate had been decreasing year by year, reaching 0, 0, and 0.005 8% in 2021, respectively. The anticoagulant samples clotted rate had decreased from 0.068 6% in 2016 to 0.042 8% in 2021, and the blood culture contamination rate from 2017 to 2021 had been 0 without exception. The pre-examination turnaround time had been shortened from 28 minutes in 2016 to 2019 to 24 minutes in 2020 and 2021. Quality indicators in analytical phases the intra-laboratory turnaround time had been extended from 45 minutes in 2016 to 2019 to 50 minutes in 2020 and 2021. Test covered by an IQC rate had been increasing year by year, reaching 60.61% in 2021. Test with inappropriate IQC performances rate was 0 in 2020 and 2021, the test covered by an EQA-PT control rate was 100%, and unacceptable performances in EQA-PT schemes rate from 2017 to 2021 was 0. The inter-laboratory comparison rate had increased from 1.56% in 2016 to 3.00% in 2021. Quality indicators in post-analytical phases the incorrect laboratory reports rate, critical values notification rate and timely critical values notification rate had been 0, 100%, and 100%from 2016 to 2021 respectively. The comprehensive evaluation results of TOPSIS method showed that the overall quality level of clinical laboratory testing in 2020 was the highest, with Ci value of 0.850 5, while the lowest Ci value in 2016 was 0.143 6. Conclusions:The quality of clinical laboratory testing in China has been effectively improved. Clinical laboratories should continue to strengthen their monitoring of quality indicators, especially the intra-laboratory turnover time and the inter-laboratory comparison rate, for the purposes of identifying errors, analyzing causes and taking corrective measures to improve quality.