RIQAS Point of Care EQA

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RIQAS Point of Care EQA

Designed to improve the quality of Point of Care Testing (POCT) in locations such as pharmacies, GP surgeries, hospital out patient departments, sports clinics, supermarkets, diagnostic/treatment and walk-in centres.

RIQAS Point of Care EQA provides independent evidence of the accuracy and reliability of test results.

Why RIQAS Point of Care?

Programme Offering

Tests

Role

Matrix

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Lipids (Total Cholesterol & HDL Cholesterol)*

  • Risk Factor for heart Disease
  • Monitoring lipid lowering therapy

Whole Blood

HbA1c (Glycated Hemoglobin)*

  • Diagnosing diabetes mellitus
  • Monitoring treatment
  • Encouraging self-management

Whole Blood

CRP (C Reactive Protein)*

  • Early detection of infectious disease
  • Identifying need for antibiotic treatment

Whole Blood

Glucose / Ketones

  • Diagnose and monitor diabetes
  • Monitor the presence of hypoglycemia (low blood glucose) and hyperglycemia (high blood glucose)
  • To determine whether excessive ketones are present in the blood, to detect diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)

Serum

International Normalised Ratio (INR)

  • Used to measure the effect of anticoagulant drugs such as warfarin
  • Help diagnose a bleeding disorder; to help estimate the severity of liver disease

Whole Blood

  • Key Cycle Dates

    RQ9181
    Distribution Month Sample Distributed Result Submission Deadline
    January 2024 8th January 17th January
    February 2024 5th February 14th February
    March 2024 4th March 13th March
    April 2024 2nd April 10th April
    May 2024 6th  May 15th May
    June 2024 3rd June 12th June
    July 2024 1st  July 10th July
    August 2024 5th August 14th August
    September 2024 2nd September 11th September
    October 2024 7th October 16th October
    November 2024 4th November 13th November
    December 2024 2nd December 11th December
  • What Participants Say

    What participants say

    Our unrivalled commitment to quality and service ensures high levels of customer satisfaction, this is evident from the responses to our latest customer satisfaction survey:

    “All in all a quick and efficient service”

    “Good online system”

    “Very helpful team”

    “Excellent training”

    “They are an experienced team”

    “Very satisfied with the service that we receive”

    “Very good value for money”

    “The website is great”

  • The Importance of Quality Assurance

    Importance of quality assurance

    Quality assurance is an essential aspect of any clinical/diagnostic testing service and is aimed at ensuring the accuracy and reliability of patients’ results. The right result allows the right clinical advice to be offered in a timely manner. Quality assurance operates at two levels:Internal Quality Control

    Internal Quality Control includes operator training/ competency assessment, analyser/ test system maintenance, and adherence to policies/ processes. Whilst some point of care analysers include inbuilt quality checks, cross-check analysis against samples with known levels provides immediate assurance and evidence that a patient’s result is safe to report.External Quality Assessment

    External Quality Assessment involves analysis of samples with unknown levels that have been distributed by an external organisation. Participants are informed how their results compare with other participants, hence providing independent evidence of performance. Increasingly, participation in an external quality assessment scheme is becoming a mandatory requirement where health and healthcare services are being provided.

    EQA provides assurance to both staff and customers that testing provides accurate and reliable results.

Want to know more?

Contact us or download the RIQAS Point of Care catalogue to learn more.

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Frequently Asked Questions

RIQAS

Contact Us


VeraSTAT-Sports Performance

Best in the Field

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    Eliminate delays in sending samples to labs and receive rapid results for rapid recovery in 6 minutes.

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    Requires just a few drops of whole blood or serum, ideal for use at the point of care.

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    Lightweight, portable and convenient, the Randox VeraSTAT delivers diagnostic results where and when they are required.

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    The Randox VeraSTAT allows for results to be exported via bluetooth connectivity.

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    Intuitive user interface guides the operator through the entire testing process.

VeraSTAT-Improve your performance

As the best it’s field, the Randox VeraSTAT device allows athletes to overcome the limitations of other generation tests, providing accurate, cost effective and reliable results that will help users receive the care necessary to get them back on their feet and back to their best.

Monitoring response to exercise is vitally important to an athlete and trainer. While a heavy training schedule can lead to chronic immunosuppression in athletes, it is essential that they receive the appropriate care in the case of a dip in health state. Eliminating the risk of inflammation and infection is essential to preventing disruptions to practice and performance.

GET IN TOUCH

VeraSTAT Test Menu

The VeraSTAT testing menu is designed to monitor an athletes immune response to exercise. C-Reactive Protein (CRP) levels are used to guide the treatment of bacterial infections or inflammation associated with tissue injury and other inflammatory disorders. On the other hand, Mxyovirus Resistance Protein 1 (MxA) is used as a key indicator of viral infections. These tests used in combination, can allow healthcare clinicians to determine the best course of treatment and get the athlete back to full health

C-Reactive Protein (CRP)

CRP is a Key indicator of inflammation and stress, often resulting from the breakdown in tissues. Overtraining can lead to elevated levels of CRP in the body.

 

Myxovirus Resistance Protein I (MxA)

MxA is a key indicator of a viral infection which may impact physical performance and activity levels. Unexplained failures are often attributed to recent or current infections.

Glycated Hemoglobin (HbA1c)

*In Development

For the quantitative determination of Hemoglobin A1c in whole blood samples

COMING SOON

Creatine Kinase MB (CKMB)

* In Development

For the quantitative measurement of CK-MB in whole blood samples to assist diagnosis of an acute myocardial infarction

COMING SOON

CRP & MxA VeraSTAT

VeraSTAT | CRP & MxA 

Rapid Differentiation of Viral & Bacterial Respiratory Infections

MxA protein has the potential to greatly enhance the rapid detection of viral respiratory infections and increases significantly when there is actuate viral infection.
CRP is the dominant acute phase protein often used to guide treatment of a bacterial infection or inflammation associated with tissue injury, inflammatory disorders, and associated diseases.

Together, allow clinicians to make appropriate decision in supporting antimicrobial stewardship and guide thappropriate use of antibiotics.

MxA

VeraSTAT MxA kit is an in vitro near-patient diagnostic test for the quantitative determination of Myxovirus resistance protein A (MxA) from whole blood.  The MxA Kit is used for detection of acute respiratory tract viral infections from symptomatic patients.

CRP

VeraSTAT CRP kit is an in vitro near-patient diagnostic test for the quantitative determination of C-reactive protein (CRP) from whole blood to assess the inflammatory status of the body.

Sample Volume- 7 μL

Sample Type- Whole Blood

Measuring Time- 11 minutes

Ordering Information: VS1004

Sample Volume- 5 μL

Sample Type- Whole Blood

Measuring Time- 6 minutes 

Ordering Information: VS1003

Enquire Now

MxA Test- Training Video

CRP Test- Training Video

Useful Resources

VERASTAT-V

GET IN TOUCH

VERASTAT BROCHURE


VeraSTAT

 

 

 

 

VeraSTAT | Excellence at the Point of Care

Accurate & Reliable Results in Minutes

Why Choose the VeraSTAT?

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    Eliminate delays in sending samples to the lab and facilitate immediate decision making at the point of care.

     

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    All necessary reagents are conveniently included in each single use, sealed cassette with no preparation required. All necessary consumables are supplied with the kit.

     

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    Lightweight, portable and convenient, the Randox VeraSTAT can be used in a variety of locations to deliver results as required.

     

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    The Randox VeraSTAT allows for results to be exported via bluetooth connectivity.
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    Intuitive user interface guides the operator through the entire testing process.

     

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    Flexible test menu comprising of a range of immunoassay, protein, inflammatory, diabetes & infectious disease markers.

The Randox VeraSTAT is a simple, accurate, portable point of care device which delivers rapid results via the use of patented cathodic electrochemiluminescence technology (C-ECL).

Through this technology, the target analyte in the patient sample reacts with the labelled antibody and captured antibody. After the reaction, unbound or excess labelled antibody is washed away and the labelled antibody complex is excited with electricity, with the electrochemiuminescence being measured and an accurate result produced.

Designed with the aim of offering users the next generation of rapid diagnosis, the VeraSTAT eliminates the requirement to send samples to a laboratory and instead returns results in as little as 6 minutes when and where required.

The superiority of the VeraSTAT allows for users to overcome performance limitations of previous generation tests relating to sensitivity, accuracy, ease of use and cost efficiency. This, combined with a versatile test menu, means that the Randox VeraSTAT is built to outshine and enhance detection in any setting.

GET IN TOUCH

Click here to download Windows App:

  1. Download VeraSTAT Analyzer windows application to your computer.
  2. Extract the zipped file and double click VeraSTATsetup
  3. Follow the application install instruction to install the application on device
Download

VeraSTAT Test Menu

C-Reactive Protein (CRP)

CRP is the dominant acute phase protein often used to guide treatment of a bacterial infection or inflammation associated with tissue injury, inflammatory disorders and associated diseases.

Myxovirus Resistance Protein I (MxA)

An informative general marker for the most common acute viral infections. MxA protein has the potential to greatly enhance the rapid distinction between viral and bacterial respiratory infections.

Useful Resources

VERASTAT-V

GET IN TOUCH

VERASTAT BROCHURE


Qnostics SARS-CoV-2 Controls

Qnostics

Respiratory Target Multiplex (RTX) 1 Control

This multiplex control has been designed in response to the current Coronavirus pandemic. The control can be used to support the validation, verification and performance monitoring of molecular assays used in SARS-CoV-2 testing and other respiratory pathogens.

Meeting the requirements of various testing strategies, this 4-plex control covers multiple viral pathogens that cause respiratory diseases in various patient cohorts, in line with public health testing and the test menu of most syndromic assays.

Having a multiplex control, like the Qnostics RTX1, gives great flexibility to laboratories and allows them to meet laboratory requirements in terms of respiratory pathogens covered whilst keeping QC tests to a minimum.

Features & Benefits

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    Whole Pathogen Control

    Containing the entire SARS-CoV-2 genome, the RTX1 Control is compatible with the majority of commercial and in-house assays. As a whole pathogen control, it targets the whole viral genome.

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    Full Process Control

    Whole pathogen controls are ideal for full-process validation, monitoring the testing process from extraction to amplification and detection ensuring ultimate quality assurance in laboratories.

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    Highly Characterised

    Using highly characterised controls enable labs to meet their daily QC needs and accreditation requirements. Qnostic controls are quantified by digital PCR to ensure batch-to-batch reproducibility.

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    True Third Party

    An independent, unbiased assessment of assay performance is ensured in line with ISO 15189:2012 regulatory requirements.

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    Liquid for Ease-of-Use

    Conveniently supplied in liquid frozen format meaning there is no additional preparation or handling required.

Specification

Target Pathogen – Influenza A (H1N1), Influenza B (Victoria), Respiratory Syncytial Virus (A), Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2)

Target – Whole Pathogen

Matrix – Transport Medium

Format – Liquid Frozen

Stability – Single use. Once thawed use immediately.

Regulatory Status – RUO

Ordering Information

Catalogue Number Product Description Pack SizePackage Insert
RTX1QCRTX1 Q Control5 x 0.6 mlKit Insert

SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Control

In response to the current Coronavirus outbreak, Qnostics, a world leading manufacturer of QC solutions for molecular infectious disease testing has developed a range of products designed to support the validation, verification and performance monitoring of molecular assays used in the testing of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). Accurate and reliable laboratory testing is an essential aspect of COVID-19 disease management and outbreak control. The use of third-party controls will allow laboratories to effectively monitor the performance of diagnostic methods. For more information on Qnostics click here

Features & Benefits

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    Whole Pathogen Control

    Qnostics controls contain the entire SARS-CoV-2 genome meaning they are compatible with the majority of commercial and in-house assays.

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    Full Process Control

    Whole pathogen controls are ideal for full-process validation, monitoring the testing process from extraction to amplification and detection ensuring ultimate quality assurance in laboratories.

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    Negative Control Available

    Negative controls contain human cells/nucleic acids and therefore can be used as part of assay validation.

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    True Third Party

    An independent, unbiased assessment of assay performance is ensured in line with ISO 15189:2012 regulatory requirements.

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    Complete QC Solution

    Products available for new assay validation as well as routine performance monitoring.

Specification

Target Pathogen – SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19)

Target – Whole Pathogen

Matrix – Transport Medium

Format – Liquid Frozen

Stability – Single use. Once thawed use immediately.

Regulatory Status – CE, RUO

Q Controls

Whole pathogen controls designed to monitor assay performance on a run to run basis. As true third party controls, assay drift is detected, monitored and managed helping to ensure accurate and reliable results.

Ordering Information

Catalogue Number Product Description Pack Size
SCV2QCSARS-CoV-2 Q Control5 x 0.5 ml
TMNQCNegative Q Control 5 x 0.5 ml

Specification

Target Pathogen – SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19)

Target – Whole Pathogen

Matrix – Transport Medium

Format – Liquid Frozen

Stability – Single use. Once thawed use immediately.

Regulatory Status – CE, RUO

Analytical Q Panels

Designed to span the analytical measuring range of an assay, allowing assessment of linearity, Limit of Detection (LOD) and Limit of Quantitation (LOQ).

Ordering Information

Catalogue Number Product Description Pack Size
SCV2AQPSARS-CoV-2
Analytical Q Panel
9 x 0.5 ml

Specification

Target Pathogen – SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19)

Target – Whole Pathogen

Matrix – Transport Medium

Format – Liquid Frozen

Stability – Single use. Once thawed use immediately.

Regulatory Status – CE, RUO

Molecular Q Panels

Four individual levels including a negative are provided spanning the assays’ clinical range. Molecular Q Panels may be used to support laboratory training and in the performance assessment and validation of molecular diagnostic assays.

Ordering Information

Catalogue Number Product Description Pack Size
SCV2MQPSARS-CoV-2
Molecular Q Panel
4 x 0.5 ml

Specification

Target Pathogen – Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV-2 (Delta, Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Eta, Alpha N variant, Omicron)

Matrix – Transport Medium (TM)

Format – Liquid Frozen

Stability – Single use. Once thawed use immediately

Regulatory Status – Research Use Only (RUO)

Evaluation Panel

Intended for research use only, this evaluation panel is designed to help laboratories develop their molecular procedures.

Suitable for use with most commercial and in-house molecular methods, this panel is characterised using real-time PCR and NGS. The panel contains variants of whole pathogen inactivated SARS-CoV-2 and is supplied in a liquid-frozen format.

Ordering Information

Catalogue Number Product Description Pack Size
SCV2TEPSARS-CoV-2
Typing Evaluation Panel
8 x 1.0 ml

RIQAS Point of Care EQA

RIQAS Point of Care EQA Logo

Randox International Quality Assessment Scheme – Point of Care EQA

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Designed to improve the quality of Point of Care Testing (POCT) in locations such as pharmacies, GP surgeries, hospital out patient departments, sports clinics, supermarkets, diagnostic/treatment and walk-in centres, RIQAS Point of Care EQA provides independent evidence of the accuracy and reliability of test results. Randox International Quality Assessment Scheme (RIQAS) is the world’s largest EQA scheme with over 55,000 participants in more than 134 countries.

Why RIQAS Point of Care?

About RIQAS Point of Care

  • How it Works

    RIQAS Point of Care - How it works
  • Tests and Analysers


    Test Role Matrix
    Lipids (Total Cholesterol & HDL Cholesterol) • Risk factors for heart disease
    • Monitoring lipid lowering therapy
    Whole Blood
    HbA1c (Glycated Haemoglobin) • Diagnosing diabetes mellitus
    • Monitoring treatment
    • Encouraging self-management
    Whole Blood
    C-Reactive Protein (CRP) • Early detection of infectious disease
    • Identifying need for antibiotic treatment
    Whole Blood
    Glucose/Ketones • Diagnose and monitor diabetes
    • Monitor for the presence of hypoglycaemia
    (low blood glucose) and hyperglycaemia (high blood glucose)
    • To determine whether excessive ketones are present in the blood, to detect diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)
    Serum
    International Normalised Ratio (INR) • Used to measure the effect of anticoagulant
    drugs such as warfarin
    • Help diagnose a bleeding disorder; to help
    estimate the severity of liver disease
    Plasma
    Note – The RIQAS Point of Care range is constantly expanding to include new tests and analysers. Please contact us if your desired analyser or test is not currently displayed.
  • Ordering Information

    Panel Catalogue Number
    Lipids RQ9181/A
    Lipids + 1 panel RQ9181/B
    Lipids + 2 panels RQ9181/C
    Additional Sample RQ9181/D
    Glucose and Ketones RQ9188
    INR RQ9189
    Pipette Tips RQ9182
    Bulbous pipette RQ9183
  • What Participants Say

    Our unrivalled commitment to quality and service ensures high levels of customer satisfaction, this is evident from the responses to our latest customer satisfaction survey:

    “All in all a quick and efficient service”
    “Good online system”
    “Very helpful team”
    “Excellent training”
    “They are an experienced team”
    “Very satisfied with the service that we receive”
    “Very good value for money”
    “The website is great”
  • Key Cycle Dates

    RQ9181
    Distribution Month Sample Distributed Result Submission Deadline
    January 2024 8th January 17th January
    February 2024 5th February 14th February
    March 2024 4th March 13th March
    April 2024 2nd April 10th April
    May 2024 6th May 15th May
    June 2024 3rd June 12th June
    July 2024 1st  July 10th July
    August 2024 5th August 14th August
    September 2024 2nd September 11th September
    October 2024 7th October 16th October
    November 2024 4th November 13th November
    December 2024 2nd December 11th December

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Importance of Quality Assurance

    Quality assurance is an essential aspect of any clinical/diagnostic testing service and is aimed at ensuring the accuracy and reliability of patients’ results. The right result allows the right clinical advice to be offered in a timely manner. Quality assurance operates at two levels:Internal Quality Control
    Internal Quality Control includes operator training/ competency assessment, analyser/ test system maintenance, and adherence to policies/ processes. Whilst some point of care analysers include inbuilt quality checks, cross-check analysis against samples with known levels provides immediate assurance and evidence that a patient’s result is safe to report.External Quality Assessment
    External Quality Assessment involves analysis of samples with unknown levels that have been distributed by an external organisation. Participants are informed how their results compare with other participants, hence providing independent evidence of performance. Increasingly, participation in an external quality assessment scheme is becoming a mandatory requirement where health and healthcare services are being provided.
    EQA provides assurance to both staff and customers that testing provides accurate and reliable results.

    Want to know more?Visit our Importance of EQA page to learn more.

Want to know more?

Contact us or download the RIQAS Point of Care catalogue to learn more.

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

RIQAS

Contact Us


Point of Care Testing (POCT) Explained

Point of Care Testing (POCT) Explained

Point of Care Testing (POCT) is the delivery of a test at the point in time at which the result will be used to make a decision and taking appropriate action resulting in an improved health outcome. It is also known as near patient, bed-side, extra-laboratory, decentralised, and ancillary testing [1]. It has been shown to reduce hospital stay time, reduce complications, and improve adherence to treatment [2].

Point of care testing is not a recent practice; many early diagnostic tests were administered at the bedside. However, analytical technology has progressed and multiple tests can be performed within minutes in a laboratory. Recently, this technology has been put into the hands of the staff near the patients [2]. There are two types of technology, benchtop analysers and hand held devices. Bench top systems are just smaller versions of laboratory analysers but some steps are automated. Hand held devices are simple in appearance but complex internally, they can manage several tasks including, adding reagents, separating cells from plasma, and reading colour or other measures.

BENEFITS OF POINT OF CARE TESTING

Results can be obtained faster, allowing for more immediate decisions meaning treatment can begin sooner. Patients can live a longer and higher quality life, helped by a reduction in the length of hospital stays.

Some benefits of POCT [2]:

•    Reduced number of clinic visits
•    Earlier discharge from hospital
•    Fewer unnecessary hospital admissions
•    Optimised drug treatment
•    More appropriate use of drugs
•    Reduced use of blood products
•    Reduced use of staff, equipment and space

Key objective

The main objective of Point of Care Testing is to generate results more quickly so that appropriate treatment can be provided, resulting in an improved patient outcome.

EFFECTIVE POINT OF CARE TESTING

Management

Accurate and reliable results can only be obtained if the patient and sample are treated correctly. Point of care testing is likely to be performed by staff with a limited technical background, so training and quality control are vital.

Outcomes

Proper analysis technique alone is not enough to ensure an accurate decision; any test will only be beneficial if the appropriate action is taken based on the result. The effectiveness of POCT is assessed in terms of the overall outcome of the patient.

WHERE DOES IT GO WRONG?

There are three phases in the POCT cycle: pre-analytical phase, analytical phase, and post-analytical phase. About 90% of quality issues are attributed to the pre-analytical and post-analytical phases [3]. These errors are mainly attributed to user error and can be caused by a number of issues including, selecting the wrong POCT device, not following manufacturer instructions, inadequate training, not adhering to appropriate QC practices, and many more.

The errors can usually be mitigated by implementing an action plan and ensuring it is executed exactly as designed, deviation from the action plan will lead to errors. Errors in POCT diagnostics can lead to misdiagnosis, improper treatment, costly follow-up procedures, and death.

Some strategies for improvement:

•    Ensure the POCT analyser is suitable for the kind of testing being undertaken
•    Ensure adequate QC to ensure your device is accurate and reliable
•    Develop a comprehensive training programme
•    Periodically carry out audits of POCT practices
THE NEED FOR QUALITY CONTROL

Internal Quality Control and External Quality Assessment is conducted to monitor the stability of the analytical measurement system and to alert the operator to a change that may lead to a medically significant error [6].

A study by Price, Smith and Bruel [8] was conducted on a number of labs over a period of time of up to 15 years. They discovered that test result performance improved with time and was associated with regular participation in External Quality Assessment (EQA) schemes and with the use of internal quality control (IQC) procedures.

Internal Quality Control

Internal Quality Control (IQC) is used to assess the day-to-day consistency of assay performance, providing quality assurance for patient results. IQC activities are among the ten most common POCT deficiencies. These may include performing and documenting quality control testing and taking the correct action for outliers [4]. This poor performance could be attributed to how IQC is viewed in POCT; users may lack appreciation of the potential for errors and may see the analyser as infallible, they likely see IQC as an additional workload as opposed to part of their testing routine.

CLSI regulations require risk assessment for each stage of patient testing alongside an implementation of a quality control plan. Below are some suggestions for how IQC should be conducted for POCT.

Conduct

IQC should be conducted when: a new lot of consumable is used; a patient result is queried; after maintenance; the device has been physically insulted. IQC should be conducted by the usual device operator so assurance can be provided for the whole testing process.

Training

ISO 22870 requires POCT users should be trained in the theory and practice of IQC [5]. Staff should be trained in every aspect of POCT including storage, preparation, frequency, documentation and basic troubleshooting.

Material

QC material for POCT should be obtained from a third party provider and not rely on material provided by the device manufacturer, the benefits of which are well documented. It should also contain analytes at clinically relevant concentrations, be provided ready-to-use, and be stable at ambient temperatures.

Results

All IQC results must be recorded with the date, time, user, decision to accept or reject, and any actions taken as appropriate. Locally assigned ranges alongside analyte-specific rules should be used to maximise error detection. An example of how IQC could be recorded and an action flowchart can be seen in Fig. A below.

Troubleshooting

There should be a protocol for required actions following a failed IQC. Any troubleshooting should be developed with knowledge of the most common errors and user capability.

Review

A monthly review should be conducted to identify persistent failures and trends.

The cost of IQC may also be a factor in resistance to IQC, however, while it is difficult to quantify, the cost of not conducting it may be greater in terms of human harm. A whitepaper is available detailing IQC in POCT (download).

Fig. A Examples of a manual IQC documentation, adapted from the Australian Government’s POCT General Practice [4]

Fig. A Examples of a manual IQC documentation, adapted from the Australian Government’s POCT General Practice  [4]. (Click to expand)

External Quality Assessment

External Quality Assessment (EQA) or Proficiency Testing (PT) involves running blind patient-like samples and comparing your results to peer results, in order to retrospectively monitor the accuracy of reporting. EQA samples should be treated as if they were a patient sample and therefore must be run by personnel who would normally use the device. This provides confidence in the reliability of patient test results. (Learn more about EQA)

Benefits of participation in an EQA programme include assessment of result accuracy, assessment over time, comparisons with instruments, methods and peers, and providing confidence in test results.

EQA for POCT is, in theory, similar to EQA in a large laboratory. There is a significant difference however, the POCT participants are usually health care professionals with little knowledge of laboratory medicine. A lack of understanding of the importance of EQA had led to a smaller percentage of sites participating than large laboratories.

A Good EQA Scheme

A good EQA scheme should offer:

•      Enables a comparison of performance between laboratories
•      Frequent reporting and rapid report turnaround time to minimise the amount of time an error can go unnoticed
•      High quality material in a format that works for you
•      Well-designed reports that allow for quick and easy troubleshooting of erroneous results at a glance
•      A sample matrix similar to a real patient sample
•      Large participant numbers to provide a large peer group to compare results to
•      A realistic range of analyte concentrations
•      Your entire range of tests in consolidated programmes, saving you time and money

“EQA should, as far as possible, cover the entire range of tests, and the entire examination process, from sample reception, preparation and analysis to interpretation and reporting.” [9]

ISO 15189

Conducting EQA in POCT

Below are some suggestions for how EQA should be conducted for POCT.

Conduct

EQA should be conducted by the operator who normally conducts patient testing to ensure the true workflow is assessed [6].

Material

EQA samples should be commutable, meaning they have the same numeric relationship between measurements procedures as is observed for a panel of patient samples (reacts the same as a real patient sample).

Report Frequency

Challenges / surveys should be frequent enough to identify systematic errors in a timely manner, affecting the fewest patient results [10].

Report Turnaround

A fast turnaround time allows test system errors to be identified sooner and necessary corrective actions to be taken immediately with minimum disruption to the lab.

Review

A regular review of past EQA results should be part of the cycle of quality.

Guidance

A POCT EQA provider should be able to provide assistance when the user is having difficulties.

Results

Individuals carrying out testing should have the correct knowledge to interpret results, choosing a scheme with easy to interpret results can help.

RANDOX POCT QUALITY CONTROL SOLUTIONS

Internal Quality Control

Randox offer a number of controls suitable for Point of Care Testing applications:

  • Acusera Blood Gas Control

    The Randox Acusera Blood Gas Quality Controls contain assayed target values for ten parameters, covering pH, pCO2, pO2, electrolytes, glucose and lactate. The material is provided in easy to open ampoules for added convenience and ease-of-use. The liquid ready-to-use nature of the control makes it ideal for use in point-of-care testing and on a wide range of blood gas instruments.

  • Acusera Liquid Cardiac Control

    The Randox Acusera Liquid Cardiac control is designed to be both convenient and easy to use. The liquid ready-to-use format makes it ideal for both clinical laboratories and point-of-care testing. Assayed, instrument specific values are provided for an impressive 8 cardiac markers including, NT-ProBNP, D-dimer and Troponin ensuring consolidation and flexibility. Furthermore, an open vial stability of 30 days for all analytes helps to keep waste and costs to a minimum.

  • Acusera Liquid HbA1c Control

    Conveniently supplied liquid ready-to-use the Liquid HbA1c control is ideally suited to both clinical laboratories and POCT helping to significantly reduce preparation time. With a stability of 30 days, waste and costs are also kept to a minimum.

  • Liquid Urine Control

    The Randox Acusera Liquid Urine quality control is designed to be both convenient and easy to use. The liquid ready-to-use format eliminates issues with pipetting and allows convenient storage at 2℃ – 8℃. Assayed instrument and method specific target values and ranges are provided for 18 commonly tested urine chemistry parameters.

External Quality Assessment

Randox offers RIQAS Point of Care, a simple EQA scheme designed for use in point of care settings. It is a single sample, single scheme programme featuring whole blood samples for authentic patient sample assessment.

Learn More
Continue Reading

RIQAS

RIQAS Point of Care

Acusera

References

[1] C. Price, A. St john and J. Hicks, “Point-of-care testing”, 2004. [Online]. Available: http://mldt.hu/upload/labor/document/PRICEP.pdf. [Accessed: 23- Jul- 2018].

[2] C. Price, “Point of care testing”, BMJ, vol. 322, pp. 1285-1288, 2001.

[3] A. Okorodudu, “Optimizing accuracy and precision for point-of-care tests”, Acutecaretesting.org, 2011. [Online]. Available: https://acutecaretesting.org/en/articles/optimizing-accuracy-and-precision-for-point-of-care-tests. [Accessed: 24- Jul- 2018].

[4] H. Holt and D. Freedman, “Internal quality control in point-of-care testing: where’s the evidence?”, Annals of Clinical Biochemistry, vol. 53, no. 2, pp. 233-239, 2016.

[5] “ISO 22870:2016 – Point-of-care testing (POCT) — Requirements for quality and competence”, Iso.org, 2018. [Online]. Available: https://www.iso.org/standard/71119.html. [Accessed: 25- Jul- 2018].

[6] J. Gill and M. Shephard, “The Conduct of Quality Control and Quality Assurance Testing for PoCT Outside the Laboratory”, Clin Biochem Rev., vol. 31, no. 3, pp. 85-88, 2010.

[7] A. Stavelin and S. Sandberg, “Essential aspects of external quality assurance for point-of-care testing”, Biochemia Medica, pp. 81-85, 2017.

[8] C. Price, I. Smith and A. Van den Bruel, “Improving the quality of point-of-care testing”, Family Practice, vol. 35, no. 4, pp. 358-364, 2017.

[9] “ISO 15189:2012 – Medical laboratories — Requirements for quality and competence”, Iso.org, 2018. [Online]. Available: https://www.iso.org/standard/56115.html. [Accessed: 31- Jul- 2018].

[10] J. Crilly, “Mythbusting: Frequency of EQA Reports”, Randox Laboratories, 2017.

[11] G. Kristensen and P. Meijer, “Interpretation of EQA results and EQA-based trouble shooting”, Biochemia Medica, pp. 49-62, 2017.


RIQAS Point of Care – FAQs

RIQAS-POC-FAQ-Web-Banner Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I need to participate in an External Quality Assessment Scheme like RIQAS Point of Care?

Participation in an External Quality Assessment (EQA) scheme can help provide assurance and confidence that patient test results are accurate and reliable, therefore ensuring that the right clinical advice can be safely offered. Increasingly, commissioners of services like NHS Health Checks require assurance of satisfactory performance in an EQA scheme. In the UK, independent evidence of performance through participation in an EQA scheme is a requirement of the National Quality Assurance Advisory panel.

Read more about the importance and benefits of EQA

Is the RIQAS Point of Care scheme the right choice for us?

The RIQAS POC scheme is geared to assuring the quality of Point Of Care Testing in locations like pharmacies, General Practitioner surgeries, diagnostic/treatment and walk-in centres, sports clinics, and hospital out patients. Typically, the scheme is commissioned by a prime contractor (the client) on behalf of a chain of participants. The POC scheme complements the RIQAS scheme for laboratory-based analysers operated by specialist laboratory scientists.

Please contact us to determine which scheme is most suitable for your needs.

How many operators can be registered at each location?

As many as you wish. New operators can be added at any time, email addresses can be modified and the system is able to recognise operators who may be working at more than one location. In encouraging ownership responsibility for updates lies with the operators at each location.

What happens if we want to transfer an analyser to another location or replace an old analyser with a new one?

In order to participate in the next sample, distribution changes must be made before the 20th of each month. Participation contracts are renewable annually and new analysers can be added to the scheme at any time during the contract.

HOW LONG DO I HAVE TO PROCESS THE SAMPLE AND SUBMIT THE RESULTS?

Samples are typically distributed on the first Monday of the month, results should be submitted online via the RIQAS Point of Care software before 5pm the following Monday.  Please see the Distribution Timetable for further information.

HOW SHOULD I STORE MY SAMPLES?

Samples should be kept refrigerated at between 2-8oC.  Do not freeze.

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RIQAS Point of Care

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ISO 22870:2006 in the Point-of-Care Testing (POCT) Market

Point-of-Care Testing (POCT)

The Point-of-Care testing market, better known as POCT, is growing rapidly as the demand for faster patient testing increases. This point is fully backed up through the results of the recent BIVDA (British IN-Vitro Diagnostics Association) survey of 2016. This survey focuses primarily on Point-of-Care Testing and there were a few questions asked that sparked an interest amongst us. The questions can be seen below;

“What are the challenges you face regarding POCT?”

“What do you see in the future for POCT?” (BIVDA, 2016)

Although many answers were put forward there was one (answer) that appeared for both questions. Accreditation. We found this intriguing yet far from surprising. POCT and accreditation go hand-in-hand, with laboratories striving to achieve ISO accreditation with the ultimate aim of allowing patients to have peace of mind that they are being tested properly and effectively.

ISO 22870:2006

The ISO standard that relates to POCT is ISO 22870:2006 Point of Care Testing- Requirements for quality and competence. This standard gives specific requirements applicable to POCT testing and apply when POCT is carried out in a hospital, clinic or a healthcare organisation providing ambulatory care. However, it is important to note and remember that ISO 22870 is not to be seen as a separate, standalone document, in fact, it is to be used in conjunction with ISO 15189:2012 (medical laboratories – particular requirements for quality & competence).

With accreditation in POCT becoming a major factor to laboratories, it is no surprise to see accreditation as one of the top answers to the two questions asked in the survey.

For laboratories looking to participate in point-of-care testing there are other factors of ISO 22870 that they must be aware of, one of the major factors is as follows;

“ISO 22870:2006 advises that where available, Internal Quality Control and participation in an External Quality Assessment (EQA) scheme is required in the point-of-care setting.”

How can Randox help?

Fortunately for laboratories, Randox are able to help out here. With a vast range of true third party controls and 32 comprehensive RIQAS (EQA) programmes, Randox can aid laboratories as they aim for ISO accreditation.

We have multiple products particularly suited to the POCT market including, Liquid Cardiac, Blood Gas and Urinalysis. These products are available both as internal quality controls and as EQA programmes.

Our Acusera range of true third party controls are conveniently supplied liquid ready-to-use, therefore requiring no preparation. This is a particular advantage in the POC environment were test results are required quickly and also were testing is not always performed by laboratory personnel.  Supplied with assayed target values and manufactured from 100% human material, ensuring they act in the same manner as a patient sample, our Acusera controls are ideal for use at the point of care and will therefore aid a laboratory in gaining ISO accreditation.

Similarly, participation in our RIQAS EQA programme will also assist laboratories to meet regulatory requirements and achieve ISO accreditation.  With over 40,000 laboratory participants in 123 countries, RIQAS is the largest international EQA scheme worldwide! Our Liquid Cardiac, Blood Gas and Urinalysis programmes are all supplied liquid ready-to-use, complementing their Acusera counterparts perfectly!

By using our Acusera controls and RIQAS EQA programmes side by side, a laboratory can confidently aim for ISO accreditation in the knowledge that they are meeting criteria.

For more information

Acusera Quality Controls & RIQAS

Click for more information on our range of Acusera Quality Controls or RIQAS EQA Programmes


Blood Gas Quality Controls

Therapeutic Drug Quality Control

The Randox Acusera Blood Gas Quality Controls contain assayed target values for ten parameters, covering pH, pCO2, pO2, electrolytes, glucose and lactate. The material is provided in easy to open ampoules for added convenience and ease-of-use. The liquid ready-to-use nature of the control makes it ideal for use in point-of-care testing and on a wide range of blood gas instruments.

 

Features & Benefits

  • Liquid ready-to-use
  • Aqueous material
  • Method specific target values provided for the most common blood gas analysers
  • Suitable for use in POC testing
  • Stable to expiry date at 2°C – 8°C
  • Once opened controls should be analysed immediately for pH and blood gas parameters, for electrolyte measurements the control should be analysed within 1 hour of opening
DescriptionSizeAnalytesCat No
Blood Gas Control Level 130 x 1.8ml10BG5001
Blood Gas Control Level 230 x 1.8ml10BG5002
Blood Gas Control Level 330 x 1.8ml10BG5003

Analytes

  • pCO2
  • pO2
  • Calcium
  • Glucose
  • Potassium
  • pH
  • Bicarbonate
  • Chloride
  • Lactate
  • Sodium

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