In-house quality assurance program in a state cytology laboratory.

The history and procedures of the Cytology Branch of the North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health are briefly reviewed, including its quality assurance procedures. The latter consists of (1) programs for education of smear providers (e.g., with printed material), (2) maintenance of optimal working conditions within the laboratory itself and (3) procedures to foster quality of screening (such as proper documentation, 10% rescreening of all negative smears, specimen reviews, educational programs and outside reviews).