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Statistical quality control: overview of applications in the clinical laboratory

Following the recent publication of his successful articles on measurement uncertainty, Stephen MacDonald returns with the first in a new series looking at internal quality control in laboratory medicine.

The role of quality control in the laboratory has changed substantially over the last 70 years (Fig 1). Quality requirements have changed in line with developments in technology, automation and efficiency, leading to quality improvement being firmly established in working practices. It is the role of quality control (QC) within this context that will be covered in this series.

Using internal quality control (IQC) as a surrogate for assay performance is familiar to us in pathology laboratories. We often use it as the basis of our quantification of measurement uncertainty. Statistical quality control (SQC) is the next generation of IQC. For it to be useful we need to be assured that we are using the right quality control process… and doing it right.

It is unsurprising that we in pathology laboratories did not come up with the idea of quality control. In industry, statistical measures, and their application to quality processes, are commonplace. Ranging from the Student’s t-test – developed as a measure of quality control in Guinness production in 1908 by William Gosset1 – to the advent of Six Sigma processes in the 1980s, quality control has been used throughout industry to drive quality improvement.

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Upcoming Events

Pathology Horizons 2024

MacDonald Bath Spa Hotel, Bath
18-20 April, 2024

Diagnostics North East Conference 2024

The Catalyst, Newcastle upon Tyne
19 April, 2024

ECCMID 2024 - European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases

Fira Gran Via, 08038 Barcelona, Spain
27-30 April 2024

British Society for Microbial Technology Annual Microbiology Conference

UK Health Security Agency, Colindale, London
2 May 2024

EQA Reports: Interpreting Key Information & Troubleshooting Tips

ONLINE - Zoom
Thursday 16th May 2024

Participants’ Meeting: UK NEQAS Immunology, Immunochemistry & Allergy

Sheffield Hallam University, City Campus, Howard Street, Sheffield
24th May 2024

Access the latest issue of Pathology In Practice on your mobile device together with an archive of back issues.

Download the FREE Pathology In Practice app from your device's App store

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