Recommendation for performance verification of patient-based real-time quality control.

Patient-based real-time quality control (PBRTQC) is a laboratory tool for monitoring the performance of the testing process. It includes well-established procedures like Bull's algorithm, average of nomals, moving median, moving average (MA) and exponentially (weighted) MAs. Following the setup and optimization processes, a key step prior to the routine implementation of PBRTQC is the verification and documentation of the performance of the PBRTQC as part of the laboratory quality system. This verification process should provide a realistic representation of the performance of the PBRTQC in the environment it is being implemented in, to allow proper risk assessment by laboratory practitioners. This document focuses on the recommendation on performance verification of PBRTQC prior to implementation.