Behind the scenes of EQA - characteristics, capabilities, benefits and assets of external quality assessment (EQA)
Abstract
External quality assessment (EQA) enhances patient safety through the evaluation of the quality of laboratory-based and point of care testing. Regulatory agencies and accreditation organizations utilize the results and the laboratory's response to them as part of assessing the laboratory's fitness to practice. In addition, where EQA samples are commutable and the assigned value has been determined using reference measurement procedures (RMPs), EQA data contributes to the verification of metrological traceability of assays as part of the post-market surveillance of in vitro diagnostic (IVD) medical devices (IVD-MDs). More broadly, the scientific and medical communities use EQA data to demonstrate that medical laboratory examination procedures are fit for clinical purposes, to evaluate common reference intervals, and inclusion of data in clinical databases. Scientific groups, the IVD industry, reference laboratories and National Metrology Institutes can work with EQA providers to identify measurands, which should urgently be supported by the development of reference materials or methods. The ability of health systems to respond effectively to fast-evolving medical challenges, such as the Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic, is reliant on EQA to demonstrate confidence in the performance of new laboratory methods and testing services. EQA providers are uniquely positioned to assess the performance of IVD-MDs in addition to individual laboratories and testing sites. Although the primary focus of EQA providers remains the improvement of the performance of individual laboratories, there are many stakeholders who benefit from EQA performance data.
Author
Buchta, Christoph
De la Salle, Barbara
Marrington, Rachel
Aburto Almonacid, Andrés
Albarède, Stéphanie
Badrick, Tony
Bullock, David
Cobbaert, Christa M
Coucke, Wim
Delatour, Vincent
Faria, Ana Paula
Geilenkeuser, Wolf-Jochen
Griesmacher, Andrea
Huggett, Jim F
Ianovska, Viktoriia
Kammel, Martin
Kessler, Anja
Körmöczi, Günther F
Meijer, Piet
Miranda, Armandina
Patel, Dina
Pezzati, Paola
Sandberg, Sverre
Schennach, Harald
Schweiger, Christian R
Schwenoha, Karin
Spannagl, Michael
Sung, Heungsup
Thelen, Marc
Weykamp, Cas
Zeichhardt, Heinz
Restelli, Veronica
Perrone, Lucy A
De la Salle, Barbara
Marrington, Rachel
Aburto Almonacid, Andrés
Albarède, Stéphanie
Badrick, Tony
Bullock, David
Cobbaert, Christa M
Coucke, Wim
Delatour, Vincent
Faria, Ana Paula
Geilenkeuser, Wolf-Jochen
Griesmacher, Andrea
Huggett, Jim F
Ianovska, Viktoriia
Kammel, Martin
Kessler, Anja
Körmöczi, Günther F
Meijer, Piet
Miranda, Armandina
Patel, Dina
Pezzati, Paola
Sandberg, Sverre
Schennach, Harald
Schweiger, Christian R
Schwenoha, Karin
Spannagl, Michael
Sung, Heungsup
Thelen, Marc
Weykamp, Cas
Zeichhardt, Heinz
Restelli, Veronica
Perrone, Lucy A
Date
2025-01-06
Type
Article
Subject
Health services. Management, Public health. Health statistics. Occupational health. Health education
Collections
Citation
Buchta C, De la Salle B, Marrington R, Aburto Almonacid A, Albarède S, Badrick T, Bullock D, Cobbaert CM, Coucke W, Delatour V, Faria AP, Geilenkeuser WJ, Griesmacher A, Huggett JF, Ianovska V, Kammel M, Kessler A, Körmöczi GF, Meijer P, Miranda A, Patel D, Pezzati P, Sandberg S, Schennach H, Schweiger CR, Schwenoha K, Spannagl M, Sung H, Thelen M, Weykamp C, Zeichhardt H, Restelli V, Perrone LA. Behind the scenes of EQA - characteristics, capabilities, benefits and assets of external quality assessment (EQA). Clin Chem Lab Med. 2025 Jan 6;63(5):898-915. doi: 10.1515/cclm-2024-1293.
Journal / Source Title
Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine
DOI
10.1515/cclm-2024-1293
PMID
39753240
Publisher
Walter De Gruyter
Publisher’s URL
https://www.degruyterbrill.com/journal/key/cclm/html