HORIBA UK Ltd, Medical Division, has introduced a new version of its Quality Slide Program (QSP) service specifically designed to readily meet new CPA guidelines for evaluating and reporting on staff competency and training for blood cell identification in line with ISO 15189. As a unique digital blood cell morphology QC and training program, HORIBA’s QSP also helps to standardise blood film review.

ISO 15189 Medical Laboratory Accreditation is a tool to demonstrate the quality and competence of medical laboratories and ensure delivery of timely and accurate results. Key to this is on-going assessment of laboratory staff technical skills. The new version of HORIBA’s QSP offers enhanced recording of staff competency and training in blood cell identification, where results may sometimes be subjective. Intuitive and easy-to-use, QSP can be fully customised to meet UK working practices.

With the QSP software, 6 pre-classified digital blood films are published monthly and emailed to, or downloaded by, the designated laboratory trainer. Following verification by the trainer, a user may review the ‘set’ slides at a time convenient to them and print out a report for their training manager. These reports are also now available on Excel for easy collation and documentation of competency information as proof of compliance with best laboratory practice.

QSP is highly cost effective since it can be applied at any level of staff competency from beginner level through to expert. Furthermore, QSP assessment is designed to be undertaken as a ‘real life’ scenario, thereby ensuring that it takes no longer than a standard blood film review and minimises on training and assessment time.

“Since QSP fully meets ISO 15189 accreditation and CPA requirements for both internal quality control and staff competency assessment for blood film review, we are already experiencing a high degree of interest in this new product,” commented Cleve Wright, Director, HORIBA UK. “Indeed in France where ISO 15189 is well established, QSP is already being routinely and highly effectively used by over 70 laboratories.”

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