Cembrowski George S, Clarke Gwen
Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, 4B1.24 Mackenzie Health Sciences Centre, University of Alberta Hospital, 8440-112 Street, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada.
Canadian Blood Services, Medical Office 8249 -114th Street, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R8, Canada.
Clin Lab Med. 2015 Mar;35(1):59-71. doi: 10.1016/j.cll.2014.10.006. Epub 2015 Jan 5.
The hematology analyzers of today provide more reproducible analyses compared with those of a few decades ago, necessitating an evolution in hematology quality practices. The improved performance allows use of simple quality control rules. This improved performance also renders the repeat analysis of critical value specimens non value added. Some of the patient averaging techniques have become outmoded and need to be replaced by less complicated calculations but with truncation of predictable outlying populations. The ready availability of comparative peer quality control values helps to improve analyzer precision and accuracy, and simplifies instrument validation and calibration.
