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The external quality assessment schemes for medical biochemical laboratories in Croatia

Participation in a suitable external quality assessment schemes (EQA) is one of the pre- requisite for accreditation of medical biochemical laboratories according international norm ISO 15189. EQA in Croatia has been continuously performed since 1973, by the Committee for External Quality Assessment in Medical Biochemical Laboratories under the auspices of the Croatia Society of Medical Biochemists. EQA surveys are organized three times per year in the field of general medical biochemistry, laboratory haematology and coagulation, urinalysis, acid base status and ionized electrolytes, and as a pilot programmes for thyroid hormones, tumour markers and glycated haemoglobin, for more than 200 laboratories. The obtained results are evaluated by using participants´ consensus and analytical goal-setting based on the state-of-the-art, clinical decision making, biological variation, views of experts, or variable limits based upon statistical analysis. For most of the analytes the desirable analytical quality goals used in EQA schemes in Croatia are biologically based in order to meet European quality recommendations. In addition, one of the main objectives of EQA is quality improvement and harmonization of laboratory results according to recommended methods. The assessment of each participant’s performance is also used as one of the criteria for the selection of medical biochemical laboratories for external audit organised by the Croatian Chamber of Medical Biochemists.

external quality assessment schemes (EQA); European quality recommendations

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