Quality Control System for Critical Care Testing

An automated quality assurance system is designed to improve the quality of test results provided by an automated critical care analyzer, enhance patient care, and reduce costs.

Called iQM, the system helps to ensure that the analyzer provides reliable results at all times. IQM continuously monitors operation of the entire analytical process, including sensors, fluidics, and electronics, following the same path that a patient sample travels, so no part of the system is left unchecked. IQM automatically performs and documents corrective actions upon detection of any error. All manual processes associated with traditional quality control are eliminated, so no human intervention is required.

At the heart of the iQM system is Failure Pattern Recognition (FPR) software, which identifies known failure patterns during cartridge operation to ensure real-time flagging of possible errors associated with clots, interfering substances, or other problems that may lead to erroneous analytical results. This allows for immediate error correction, reducing the time of detection from hours to minutes. The iCM system is the product of Instrumentation Lab (Lexington, MA, USA) and is designed for use with the company's Gem Premier 3000 critical care analyzer.

"Better quality control can be provided without any increased effort by analysts and operators, without any further lab investment in education and training, and with complete automation and documentation,” noted James Westgard, Ph.D., professor, pathology and laboratory medicine, University of Wisconsin (Madison, USA).




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