Hematology quality control and the Coulter S-Plus II.

Establishing thorough maintenance and operational protocols for multichannel hematology instruments is an integral part of any QC program. Implementing appropriate collection techniques and properly informing the technical staff about all protocols are equally important. Selecting standards and/or controls for use on the multichannel instruments frequently presents difficulty. However, fresh WB samples (EDTA, 1 mg/ml) can be used to calibrate the instruments periodically. Additionally, data from the Coulter S-Plus II print-out of WB patient samples can be statistically evaluated using R and/or XB statistics to monitor instrument performance.