My greatest hope for 2012 is that this will be the year that laboratories make measurable progress to close the QC Gap – that foolish and frightening chasm that exists between QC theory and QC practice in most labs.
I have been harping on this theme since 2006. Technical processes have advanced light years since 1950, and yet most labs are still using some lopsided variation on the old 1-2s rule. Every study I have done, course taught, poll or quiz conducted continues to confirm a frightening misunderstanding and misguided application of QC theory. If you are interested in details of these studies and articles, or want to test your own QC Gap, you can see more at
www.awesome-numbers.org or in the new course in the AACC online university
http://www.aacc.org/events/online_progs/certificates/qcgap/Pages/default.aspx# .
The next time you are frustrated by chasing QC flags that mean nothing, or failing a PT survey when QC looks just fine – ask yourself “Is there a better way to do QC?” Look around the internet and you’ll soon find studies that prove the financial as well as clinical benefits of improved QC design. Let’s make 2012 the year that QC catches up with technical advances in medical labs and close The QC Gap!
Happy New year!
Zoe Brooks
zoe@awesome-numbers.com