Open Access Cite this Cite this Use of external quality assessment in extra-analytical phases in clinical laboratories in Spain: a survey by the Spanish Society of Laboratory Medicine (SEQCML)

• Andrea Caballero Garralda ^[3] ; Immaculada Comas Reixach ^[4] ; Carlos García Miralles ^[5] ; Rubén Gómez Rioja ^[6] ; Berta Sufrate-Vergara ^[6] ; María Antonia Llopis Díaz ^[7] ; Débora Martínez Espartosa ^[1] ; Reyes Nicolás de Blas ^[8] ; Mariona Panadès Turró ^[9] ; Laura Puigví Fernández ^[10] ; Laura Rodelgo Jiménez ^[11] ; Emma Ventura Orriols ^[2]
  1. [1] Clínica Universitaria de Navarra

     Clínica Universitaria de Navarra

     Pamplona, España

     
  2. [2] Hospital Sant Joan de Deu

     Hospital Sant Joan de Deu

     Barcelona, España

     
  3. [3] PhD, MBA, Extraanalytical Quality Commission of the Spanish Society of Laboratory Medicine (SEQCML), Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Vall d’Hebron Hospital, Passeig Vall d’Hebron 119, 08035, Barcelona, Spain, E-mail: andrea.caballero@vallhebron.cat. https://orcid.org/0000-0003- 2891-6347
  4. [4] Extraanalytical Quality Commission of the Spanish Society of Laboratory Medicine (SEQCML), Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Vall d’Hebron Hospital, Barcelona, Spain. https://orcid.org/ 0000-0002-2713-8291
  5. [5] Extraanalytical Quality Commission of the Spanish Society of Laboratory Medicine (SEQCML), Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Parc Tauli Hospital Universitari, Sabadell, Spain. https:// orcid.org/0000-0001-5329-0070
  6. [6] Extraanalytical Quality Commission of the Spanish Society of Laboratory Medicine (SEQCML), Department of Laboratory Medicine, La Paz-Cantoblanco-Carlos III Hospital, Madrid, Spain. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3429-0427 (R. Gómez Rioja). https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5364-3390 (B. Sufrate-Vergara)
  7. [7] Extraanalytical Quality Commission of the Spanish Society of Laboratory Medicine (SEQCML), Catalonian Institute of Health: Barcelona, Spain. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4789-2355
  8. [8] Extraanalytical Quality Commission of the Spanish Society of Laboratory Medicine (SEQCML), Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Madrid, Spain. https:// orcid.org/0000-0002-0701-8081
  9. [9] Extraanalytical Quality Commission of the Spanish Society of Laboratory Medicine (SEQCML), Quality Manager-Spanish Society of Laboratory Medicine (SEQCML), Barcelona, Spain
  10. [10] Extraanalytical Quality Commission of the Spanish Society of Laboratory Medicine (SEQCML), Extraanalytical Head Department, Director of Operations, CLILAB Diagnòstics, Barcelona, Spain. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6420-5353
  11. [11] Extraanalytical Quality Commission of the Spanish Society of Laboratory Medicine (SEQCML), Institut of Laboratory Medicine, San Carlos Clinic Hospital, Madrid, Spain

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• Localización: Advances in Laboratory Medicine / Avances en Medicina de Laboratorio, ISSN-e 2628-491X, Vol. 6, Nº. 2, 2025, págs. 199-205
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • Objectives: Quality indicators (QIs) are a valuable tool for monitoring and improving extra-analytical phase performance in the clinical laboratory (CL). For that reason, the Spanish Society of Laboratory Medicine (SEQCML) launched its Pre-analytical Phase EQA Program in 2001.

    Methods: In 2023, a survey was conducted to assess the level of participation in the EQA Program, identify its potential improvements, and enhance the understanding of the collection and estimation processes of the extraanalytical QI.

    Results: In total, 51 % of respondents (124 responses in total) were enrolled in the program. The primary reason for participating was the need of monitoring of the extraanalytical phases (38 %). In contrast, the main reason for not taking part in the EQA Program was the difficulty in collecting data (32 %). As to potential points for improvement, 56 % considered that QI should be analyzed disaggregated by type of extraction (ambulatory vs. urgent). As many as 86 % of respondents would be interested in participating in a postanalytical phase EQA Program. Most of the suggestions about indicators to be included were related to events regarding temperature and transport times from peripheral extraction sites.

    Conclusions: Although interest in QIs for pre- and postanalytical phases is growing, the percentage of laboratories that collect data regularly is still limited. The findings of this survey have led the future directions for the EQA Preanalytical Program, updating and adapting it to the current needs of CLs.