Point of care testing standard

PoCT8 – External quality assurance program

Standards for general practices (6th edition)
Download PDF
      10. PoCT8 – External quality assurance program

PoCT8 | External quality assurance program

Consumer expectation statement: I expect that this practice participates in an external quality system to monitor point of care testing, detect issues early, and act if needed.

PoCT8.A The practice participates in an external quality assurance program. 

The practice: 

  • enrols all test methods and instruments in an approved external quality assurance program from an accredited provider 
  • keeps records of participation 
  • reviews reports from external quality assurance programs
  • keeps records of all action taken after investigation of suboptimal performance. 


External quality assurance programs rely on traceability of results to deliver peer review of PoCT systems and monitor PoCT performance. This enables issues to be detected early(49). 


External quality assurance programs provide identical samples to all program participants who then each test the sample using their routine test method. The program collates the results and provides each participant with:  

  • the range of results achieved 
  • an indication of whether that participant’s method is producing results significantly different to those produced by a different practice using the same method 
  • details of the accuracy and precision of that participant’s results. 

If the practice has suboptimal results or performance, it needs to: 

  • investigate the reasons for these results or performance 
  • record any remedial actions taken. 
 
Previous Next

Advertising