What's New on Westgard Web: November 2011

Posted by Sten Westgard, MS<

Re-emerging Issues in QC today

To repeat or not repeat? the question itself keeps coming up again and again. We all recognize the theoretical problem with repeating the control, but in practice, most labs are chronic repeaters. Dr. Westgard discusses why some QC problems persist, and what approaches to deal with them are best.

Included in this essay is a discussion of multiplex QC. In the new field of molecular diagnostics, labs are rediscovering some of the same problems with tight control limits and multiple analytes. Dr. Westgard discusses whether new multirules are needed for multiplex tests.

Can't we just move on from multirules?

Traceability: Why it Matters

Traceability, Standardization, Harmonization, Comparability. Even within the laboratory, these are not terms and concepts that inspire a lot of excitement. But as the world gets smaller, and health records get more connected, reliable, comparable tests results matter more and more. Whether or not we want to be involved, we are already part of the struggle for standardization and harmonization.

At Halloween, did your method Trick or Traceable?

Is QC Quality Compromised?

Non-commutable controls, matrix effects, non-harmonized methods, consensus means, artificially wide manufacturer ranges, repeated controls, lot-to-lot variation. How many ways can the implementation of quality control can be compromised? The answer might depress you.

If Lean has "7 wastes", does QC have "7 corruptions"?