Equivalent Quality Control Workshop Highlights 2005 Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute Leadership Conference

QC for the Future, organized by representatives from AACC, AdvaMed, ASCLS, CDC, CMS, FDA, and NCCLS/Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute, will be held in conjunction with the 2005 Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute Leadership Conference. This all day workshop, taking place 18 March 2005, will engage the healthcare community in activities aimed at improving the quality of laboratory tests and services. The targeted workshop, moderated by Robert L. Habig, Ph.D., NCCLS/Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute President-Elect, is an excellent forum for technical and management laboratory professionals, IVD industry representatives, and government staff to learn about the current and future technology of QC, and contribute to the future direction of QC.

The workshop begins with an overview of the history of QC and a discussion of what constitutes quality in a laboratory. Additional workshop topics include:

CLIA QC – Options for the Future: Outlines current CLIA QC regulatory requirements including EQC options.

Technology Variations: Profiles current and future technologies and their innovative concepts for QC.

Laboratory Issues – POCT/POL Concerns: Focuses on quality issues in the less sophisticated versus the large central laboratory.

Personnel Issues: Discusses the current status of testing personnel shortage, training, and personnel competency protocols.

Risk Management: Introduces ISO and U.S. manufacturing concepts of risk management and describes how risk management can interface with QC practices.

Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute Document Development: Addresses timeframes, players, and processes for Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute consensus standard development.

In addition, a panel discussion and three breakout workgroups, Consensus Standards/Option 4 Proposal, Future Technology for the Laboratory Perspective, and Input Into Regulations/Guidelines, will help frame a structure for short- and long-term QC goals for the future. Following the session, a meeting report, Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute consensus guidelines with QC mechanisms, and a plan for future QC will be available. Robert L. Habig, Ph.D., NCCLS/Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute President-Elect, comments, “The QC for the Future workshop was developed as an interactive session with many opportunities for participants to state their views for a path forward in regards to technology and QC regulations.” He adds, “This forum is an ideal place for all involved to review and come to a consensus on the application of current and future QC technologies and appropriate application of the equivalent quality control (EQC) concept.” 

The QC for the Future workshop is being held in conjunction with the 2005 Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute Leadership Conference, the must-attend consensus learning event of the year.

For more information about the Equivalent Quality Control Workshop: QC for the Future  or the 2005 Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute Leadership Conference, visit http://www.clsi.org or contact the NCCLS/Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute Executive Offices at +610.688.0100.
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