The Westgard Rules

What's New: November 2013

Posted by Sten Westgard, MS

Analytical Evaluation of a POC Blood Analysis System


A recent study evaluated the analytical performance of a Point-of-Care (POC) blood analysis system. Are today's new POC devices better than earlier generations? Are there additional sources of error that need to be tracked when we evaluate POC?

Are POC devices Pretty good, Occasionally acceptable, or Considerably challenging?

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Chloride Quality: Can any method hit the mark?

Continuing with our series examining quality requirements and goals and the performance of methods, we turn to chloride. We examine the different goals offered for chloride, and evaluate what methods are capable of achieving.

Can any method hit the target for Chloride?

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The Blind Side? More tales from the manufacturer's range


Following up on the example of a laboratory blinded by a manufacturer's (too wide) range, another reader has an anonymous submission of a similar scenario.

Would your lab have caught this error? part two?

Q&A: At what point can we stop trouble-shooting and report results?

Posted by Sten Westgard, MS

[ Did you want to find out about the 2of3:2s rule and 6 controls? Then Click Here ]

Here's a question I think many labs often have:

"If you were to calculate you own control limits, and one of the 2 levels you were using violated your own limits (while the other is within the limits). You have investigated all possible causes in accordance to a checklist constructed thoroughly, you changed the reagents, you re-calibrated, you confirmed that all maintenance was performed in due time and as should be, yet the IQC fails to return within your limits, would it be acceptable to release the results if this violating QC is within the manufacturer's range? If not, how would you proceed?"

Think you know the answer? See you after the jump...

 

SLMTA!

Posted by Sten Westgard, MS

[caption: SLMTA participants: the books should look familiar to some of you...]

We had the honor of participating (in a small way) in a recent program called SLMTA (Strengthening Laboratory Management Towards Accreditation) in Cape Town, South Africa.

Through the guidance of Anna M. Murphy MLS(ASCP), participants from over 14 countries were trained in Basic Quality Control and Basic Method Validation. Through the generosity of Roche Diagnostics, each participant was given a copy of Basic QC Practices, 3rd Edition and Basic Method Validation, 3rd Edition. Part of their parting responsibilities were to study these reference works and advocate to their respective Ministries of Health to include and require these skills in laboratory management and accreditation.

Our thanks to Anna Murphy for including our materials in her training, and also to Roche Diagnostics for supporting this important project. Closing the gap in quality between the "developing" and "developed" world isn't easy, and will require the charitable efforts of diagnostic companies.

And the winners are...

Posted by Sten Westgard, MS

Recall back in July we mentioned a raffle for a "Westgard Rules" Bobble-head?

Well, the Bobble-heads took a bit longer to arrive (that boat from China is slower than we thought), so we can now announce the winners...

Biologic Variation in Cats

Posted by Sten Westgard, MS

The Internet loves cats. There's no denying it. And we're happy to ride that wave of enthusiasm here at Westgard Web. But in our case, we want to talk about the fluffy cute adorable biologic variation of plasma analytes in cats. (more after the jump)