Exploratory Investigation for Improvement of the External Quality Assessment Scheme for Transfusion Medicine

John Jeongseok Yang; Jin Seok Kim; Yousun Chung; Hyungsuk Kim; Dae-Hyun Ko; Sang-Hyun Hwang; and Heung-Bum Oh

doi:10.15263/jlmqa.2021.43.1.19

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Original Article

Lab Med Qual Assur 2021; 43(1): 19-24

Published online March 31, 2021

https://doi.org/10.15263/jlmqa.2021.43.1.19

Exploratory Investigation for Improvement of the External Quality Assessment Scheme for Transfusion Medicine

John Jeongseok Yang¹, Jin Seok Kim¹, Yousun Chung², Hyungsuk Kim³, Dae-Hyun Ko¹, Sang-Hyun Hwang¹ , and Heung-Bum Oh¹

¹Department of Laboratory Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine; ²Department of Laboratory Medicine, Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital; ³Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea

Correspondence to:Dae-Hyun Ko
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul 05505, Korea
Tel +82-2-3010-4504
Fax +82-2-478-0884
E-mail daehyuni1118@amc.seoul.kr

Received: November 27, 2020; Revised: December 21, 2020; Accepted: January 5, 2021

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

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Abstract

Background: This study summarizes a survey conducted to improve and expand the external quality assessment (EQA) scheme for transfusion in Korea.
Methods: The EQA items provided by the College of American Pathologists, Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia, National External Quality Assessment Service, and German program were explored. A commercially operated EQA program was also included in the survey.
Results: Items not included in the Korean EQA programs included extended antigen typing, electronic cross-matching, eluate survey, and fetal red cell detection. Granulocyte- and platelet-related testing was also not covered by the Korean program. There were issues regarding establishing the criteria for acceptable ranges and manufacturing of EQA materials.
Conclusions: We successfully conducted a survey for the improvement and expansion of EQA for transfusion medicine. A pilot project for extended antigen typing is expected to be implemented in 2021, and ongoing expansion will continue in the following years.

Keywords: Transfusion medicine, Proficiency testing, External quality assessment