Maintaining Consistency in QC Results Across a Laboratory Network: Best Practices and Guidelines

A significant percentage of clinical decisions around patient care are based on lab results. Ensuring consistency in QC results across a laboratory network holds significant value, particularly due to the movement of patients within the network. As patients navigate through various healthcare facilities within the network, their diagnostic journey may involve testing at different labs. For instance, a patient could receive initial testing at a hospital lab and subsequent follow-up at a clinic associated with a different lab within the network. In the case of patients with chronic illnesses or diseases living within a large metropolitan area, it is entirely feasible for their samples to be tested in three to four or even more labs. By maintaining consistency in QC results across the network, it becomes possible to facilitate seamless patient care, accurate diagnosis, and reliable treatment decisions, regardless of the specific lab within the network that handles the testing. However, maintaining consistent QC results across a lab network can be a challenge due to variations in laboratory instruments, testing conditions, and personnel. To overcome these challenges, labs can adopt various strategies that will help them achieve consistency in QC results across instruments and the lab network.