Program Policies
Neu-QAP is the proficiency testing program of Neuberg Anand Academy of Laboratory Medicine, an independent organisation associated with Neuberg Anand Reference Laboratories. The programme will provide cost effective External Quality Assessment to member laboratories. Laboratories can become members by registering to the program, following scrutiny of application by the Quality Manager of NAALM.
Criteria for approval of laboratories would be based on the following:
Authorised signatory should be a medical graduate with qualification approved by the Medical Council of India. The laboratory should have a well-defined internal quality control programme. This is a necessity as day to day variations are best identified by internal quality control. If the laboratory is not NABL accredited, it should provide a proof of running daily quality control in the form of LJ charts or cumulative SD and CV for two months where applicable. If the laboratory does not have record of internal quality control, measures should be taken to record the same in the form of LJ charts. This will help the laboratory to develop a system of records which in turn will help in preparing for the process of accreditation. NABL accredited laboratories are required to provide accreditation details.
Where relevant, the programme will use pooled sera and lyophilized sera as quality control material. All material (sera) being dispatched to member laboratories should be considered as potentially infectious and handled according. The quality assessment program for histopathology shall focus on two aspects- PART A: on pre-analytical aspects beginning from tissue processing, sectioning to staining. PART B – on analytical aspects (interpretation of slides).
PART A – Tissue samples that are fixed in buffered neutral formalin shall be distributed to all member laboratories. The labs are expected to process the tissue and prepare stained slides which shall then be returned to the nodal centre for evaluation. Parameters like thickness of section, artefacts and staining quality shall be scored and results shall be returned to the lab. PART B – Identical H&E stained sections from a single block shall be distributed to all member labs along with pertinent history. The labs are expected to return their interpretations and diagnoses in clear terms, in the response sheet that shall be provided. Classification where ever applicable shall follow current and internationally acceptable guidelines. The results shall be compared with the consensus diagnosis and report made.