This Christmas, treat your laboratory to the “gift” of Randox Quality Control
At Christmas time all around the globe, people search for the best gift for their loved ones, something they will really like. At Randox Quality Control, we understand you care for your patients, and your laboratory. This year, show how much you care by treating your lab to a Randox Quality Control.
With over 35 years’ experience in the market, Quality Control is our passion and streamlining QC practice is our forte! Our extensive product offering comprises true third party controls, interlaboratory data management, external quality assessment and calibration verification.
Last year we looked in depth at Acusera – our range of true third party controls. This year, lets add another product to the Christmas wish list in the form of RIQAS, the world’s largest EQA scheme. Don’t wait until Christmas to wake up to a RIQAS programme under your tree – enrol in one of our comprehensive programmes today.
With over 45,000 laboratory participants across 133 countries, our RIQAS portfolio spans 32 comprehensive programmes ranging from Chemistry to Immunoassay, Lipids to Cardiac, Drugs to Serology and much more!
User-friendly, one page per parameter reports are available within 72 hours of the submission deadline. These reports enable at-a-glance performance assessment, ultimately allowing your laboratory to save valuable time. You will also gain access to complimentary multi-instrument and inter-laboratory reports as well as an end-of-cycle report summarising laboratory performance for each cycle and helping to identify progress over time.
Consolidation is key – and with an extensive parameter index available (up to 360 parameters) RIQAS will help you to significantly reduce costs, time and the number of individual programmes required to cover your test menu.
All RIQAS samples are free from interfering preservatives ensuring a commutable matrix that reacts to the test system in the same manner as a patient sample.
Additionally, enrolling in RIQAS isn’t just enrolling in an EQA scheme. Our programmes are accepted by National and International accreditation bodies worldwide and at the end of each cycle, participation in the scheme results in a certificate that can be used to decorate your laboratory all year around – not just at Christmas!
So this Christmas don’t give your laboratory second best, choose RIQAS, and reap the rewards.
To find out more on any of our RIQAS programmes visit our website – http://www.randox.com/riqas-external-quality-assessment/ or email us at acusera@randox.com
Randox Quality Control wish you all Season’s Greetings & a Prosperous New Year!
RIQAS Instrument Group Report
All RIQAS participants are entitled to register up to five separate instruments per programme at no extra cost.
Individual reports for each instrument are supplied as normal in addition to a complimentary instrument group report allowing the performance of each instrument to be uniquely compared and assessed easily.
RIQAS EQA Reports
The multi-instrument group report displays the %Deviation for the last 10 samples along with the RM%Dev across all registered laboratory instruments. The %Dev for each instrument is plotted on a user-friendly, colour coded chart for instant identification of poor performing instruments.
As an ISO requirement, the Multi-Instrument Report is an extremely useful and beneficial tool for laboratories – “Laboratories with two or more analysers for examinations, should have a defined mechanism for comparison of results across analysers” – ISO 15189:2012.
(Click to enlarge image)
RIQAS Inter-Laboratory Group Report
A unique group reporting facility is available allowing laboratory groups or chains to effectively monitor the performance of satellite sites.
All laboratories within a group will receive their RIQAS sample packs, analyse the samples, return results to RIQAS and receive their individual RIQAS reports as normal. In addition to this a separate group report will be sent to the group manager or supervisor allowing relative performance of all laboratories within the group to be assessed.
RIQAS EQA Reports
For each laboratory in the group, the interlaboratory group report displays the %Dev for the last 10 samples along with the RM%Dev. The %Dev for each laboratory is plotted on a user-friendly, colour coded chart for instant identification of poor performing labs.
(Click to enlarge image)
RIQAS End-of-Cycle Report
RIQAS End-of-Cycle reports are sent to all participants who receive the standard report. Therefore, participants who are enrolled in RIQAS Urinalysis, RIQAS Urine Toxicology and RIQAS Serology programmes will not receive an End-of-Cycle report.
The RIQAS End-of-Cycle report provides laboratories with a complete summary of their External Quality Assessment performance. Performance is also compared to that of the previous cycle providing an indication of progress and improvement over time. Data is presented in both written and graphical format allowing a visual assessment of overall performance.
The RIQAS End-of-Cycle report is split into 3 sub-sections. These sub-sections are designed to allow performance assessment at a glance.
RIQAS EQA Reports
RIQAS End-of-Cycle Report Features
The Parameter Cycle Summary section provides an overview of the results returned for each sample in the cycle. The text section summarises the laboratory’s result compared to the Mean for Comparison. Laboratory performance for the current cycle is also compared to that of the previous cycle. A variety of charts including Levey-Jennings, Target Score, % Deviation by sample and % Deviation by concentration are also presented allowing a visual assessment of laboratory performance over the cycle.
(Click to enlarge)
The text section provides a summary of the laboratory’s results and statistics including Mean for Comparison, SDPA, %CV, Uncertainty, SDI, Target Score and % Deviation. An additional table comparing performance for the current cycle to the previous cycle is also provided.
(Click to enlarge)
The laboratory’s performance is summarised in various charts including Levey-Jennings, Target Score, % Deviation by sample and % Deviation by Concentration.
(Click to enlarge)
The absolute SDI summary report compares current performance for all parameters to the previous cycle and indicates whether performance is better or worse. Performance is compared to other RIQAS participants in your country and worldwide.
(Click to enlarge)
A certificate of performance is provided listing all parameters, for which the laboratory achieved an acceptable level of performance (Average Absolute SDI <2). Although the End-of-Cycle Report is issued for all registered parameters, the certificate of performance will only be available for parameters where results for at least 50% of samples in the cycle have been returned.
(Click to enlarge)
RIQAS Standard Report
There are a variety of RIQAS reports designed to enable quick and easy identification of any trends or test system issues. The standard quantitative report is provided in a user-friendly, one page per parameter format allowing a visual, at-a-glance assessment of performance. The standard quantitative report is split into several easy to interpret subsections each designed to save valuable laboratory time.
You can explore each of the report sections using the table below. Don’t forget, to enlarge the image, simply click on it.
RIQAS EQA Reports
RIQAS Reports Features
Performance data is presented in a simple one page format for each analyte. Each one page report comprises seven sub-reports providing a statistical and graphical representation of laboratory performance.
(Click to enlarge)
The text section provides a statistical breakdown of results by all methods, your method and instrument group. The Mean, CV% and Uncertainty or Measurement is presented for each comparison group.
Your laboratory’s result is compared to the Mean for Comparison (usually the instrument group Mean). Also included are the RIQAS performance indicators; SDI, Target Score and %Deviation.
Acceptable performance criteria:
- SDI <2
- Target Score >50
- %Deviation
The defined acceptable limits default to the RIQAS TDPA values but may be based on CLIA, biological variation or country specific limits.
Performance goals based on Biological Variation are also stated within the text section for information purposes.
(Click to enlarge)
The histogram chart provides an overview of how your laboratory’s result compares to the all method group, your method group and your instrument group. Your result is represented by a black triangle; the closer to the centre the better.
The chart is intended to provide a quick visualisation of performance compared to other method groups and can be used to identify any potential bias.
(Click to enlarge)
The Levey-Jennings chart plots the last 20 SDI’s and is extremely useful for monitoring EQA performance over time, allowing quick and easy identification of any trends or bias. The chart is colour coded making interpretation simple and easy; results that fall in the white area are excellent and those in the red area unacceptable.
(Click to enlarge)
The Target Score (TS) chart is a unique chart which displays your laboratory’s last 20 target scores delivering an instant, visual indication of performance. The TS chart is conveniently colour coded for even easier performance assessment, a TS >50 is acceptable. The TS is a numerical index relating your %Deviation from the mean to a Target Deviation for Performance Assessment (TDPA).
(Click to enlarge)
The %Deviation by sample chart displays the %Deviation for the last 20 EQA samples enabling identification of trends and shifts in performance. Similar to the other charts on the RIQAS report, the %Deviation by sample chart is shaded to indicate the limit of acceptable performance. A black dot within the white section of the chart will represent results with a %Deviation within your acceptable limits of performance; a black dot within the red section of the chart will represent results with a %Deviation outside your acceptable limits of performance. %Deviations are not influenced by the performance of your peers, as seen with the standard deviation index (SDI) and therefore is a better indicator of individual performance.
(Click to enlarge)
The %Deviation by concentration chart enables easy detection of possible concentration related biases. Unlike the other charts provided on the report, the %Deviation by concentration chart displays the concentration range of the previous 20 samples along the bottom of the chart.
Using this scale along with the percentage deviation, you are provided with a rapid assessment of your %Deviation in relation to the concentration of the:
• Current sample (represented by a square)
• Your 19 previous results (represented by circles)
This chart provides an easy interpretation of potential positive or negative biases at high or low concentrations, or whether a particular sample is a random outlier.
(Click to enlarge)
The Multi Method Stat Section provides you with an easy way of assessing the performance of the other methods used to analyse the parameter. This is useful when your laboratory plans to change the analytical method used for the parameter.
(Click to enlarge)
Located at the back of the standard quantitative report, our quick reference summary page details the performance for each registered parameter in the programme.
Within the performance column, RIQAS provides an effortless method of assessing the performance of each parameter within the sample distribution. When a red triangle appears next to the parameter, this indicates that all performance indicators (SDI, TS and %DEV) have exceeded the performance criteria.
The performance indicator limits for each parameter are exceeded when your result produces:
• An SDI greater than +/- 2 standard deviations.
• A Target Score less than 50 (only when Target Scoring is available)
• A %Deviation greater than your set acceptable limits of performance.
(Click to enlarge)
A summary CSV file is available on request to all participating laboratories. The report provides a summary of all statistics, acceptable limits and performance indicators as a .csv file for each sample in the cycle.
A retrospective statistics summary is also available, four weeks after the final submission date for parameters where a result was not submitted on time.
RIQAS Parameters List
RIQAS is the largest international External Quality Assessment (EQA)/ Proficiency Testing (PT) scheme, there are currently more than 76,000 participants in 139 countries. World renowned for reducing the number of individual programmes required by even the most demanding laboratories, RIQAS covers 360 parameters across 36 flexible multi-parameter programmes. Effective consolidation in this way will not only deliver real cost savings but free up storage space and ultimately reduce the time spent preparing multiple samples at each survey.
RIQAS Parameter List
1-25-(OH)2-Vitamin D
17-OH-Progesterone
25-OH-Vitamin D
5-HIAA
α-1-Acid Glycoprotein
α-1-Antitrypsin
α-2-Macroglobulin
ABO Group
ACE
Acid Phosphatase (Prostatic)
Acid Phosphatase (Total)
ACR
ACTH
AFP
Albumin
Albumin/Microalbumin
Aldosterone
Alkaline Phosphatase
ALP
ALT
ALT (ALAT)
AMH
Amikacin
Ammonia
Amylase
Amylase (Pancreatic)
Amylase (Total)
Androstenedione
Anti Streptolysin O
Antibody Identification
Antibody Screen
Anti-CMV (Total)
Anti-CMV IgG
Anti-CMV IgM
Anti-EBNA IgG
Anti-EBV VCA IgG
Anti-EBV VCA IgM
Antigen Typing
Anti-HAV (Total)
Anti-HAV IgM
Anti-HBc
Anti-HBc IgM
Anti-HBe (Total)
Anti-HBs (Total)
Anti-HCV
Anti-HIV combined
Anti-HIV-1
Anti-HIV-2
Anti-HSV1 IgG
Anti-HSV1 IgM
Anti-HSV1/2 IgG
Anti-HSV1/2 IgM
Anti-HSV2 IgG
Anti-HSV2 IgM
Anti-HTLV combined
Anti-HTLV I
Anti-HTLV II
Anti-Measles IgG
Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing
Anti-Mumps IgG
Anti-Rubella IgG
Anti-Rubella IgM
Anti-Tg
Antithrombin III
Anti-Toxoplasma IgG
Anti-Toxoplasma IgM
Anti-TPO
Anti-TSH Receptor (TRAb)
Anti-VZV IgG
Apolipoprotein A1
Apolipoprotein B
aPTT
AST
AST (ASAT)
β-2-Microglobulin
Benzoylegonine
Bicarbonate
Bile Acids
Bilirubin
Bilirubin (Direct)
Bilirubin (Total)
Blood
BNP
Buprenorphine
Ca++
CA125
CA15-3
CA19-9
Caffeine
Calcitonin
Calcium
Calcium (Ionised)
Calcium, Adjusted
Cannabinoids (THC)
Carbamazepine
Carboxyhaemoglobin (COHb / HbCO)
CEA
Ceruloplasmin
Chloride
Cholesterol
Cholesterol (Total)
Cholinesterase
Ciclosporin
CK NAC
CK, Total
CK, total (CPK)
CK-MB (Activity)
CK-MB (Mass)
Cl-
CO2(Total)
Compatability (Cross-Match)
Complement C3
Complement C4
Conductivity
Copper
Cortisol
Cotinine
C-Peptide
C-Reactive Protein
Creatinine
CYFRA 21-1 (Cytokeratin 19 fragment)
D-3-Hydroxybutyrate
d-Amphetamine
D-dimer
Deoxyhaemoglobin (RHb / HHb)
DHEA (Unconjugated)
DHEA-S
Digoxin
Direct Bilirubin
d-Methamphetamine
Dopamine
EDDP
eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate)
Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF)
Epinephrine
ESR
Estriol
Ethanol
Ethosuximide
Everolimus
Factor II
Factor IX
Factor V
Factor VII
Factor VIII
Factor X
Factor XI
Factor XII
Ferritin
Fibrinogen
Folate
Free Morphine
free β-hCG
Fructosamine
FSH
Galactose
Gastrin
Gentamicin
GGT
GH
GLDH
Glucose
γGT
Haematocrit (HCT)
Haemoglobin (Hb)
Haemolysis
Haptoglobin
HbA1c
HBDH
HBsAg
hCG
HDL
HDL-Cholesterol
Homocysteine
hsCRP
Icteric
IgA
IgE
IGF-1
IgG
IgM
Inhibin A
Insulin
Interferon gamma (IFN-y)
Interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1α)
Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β)
Interleukin-10 (IL-10)
Interleukin-2 (IL-2)
Interleukin-4 (IL-4)
Interleukin-6 (IL-6)
Interleukin-8 (IL-8)
Iron
K+
Kappa Light Chain (Free)
Kappa Light Chain (Total)
Ketones
Lactate
Lambda Light Chain (Free)
Lambda Light Chain (Total)
LD (LDH)
LDH
LDL-Cholesterol
Leukocytes
LH
Lipaemic
Lipase
Lipoprotein (a)
Lithium
Lorazepam
LSD
Magnesium
MDMA
Mean Cell Haemoglobin (MCH)
Mean Cell Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC)
Mean Cell Volume (MCV)
Mean Platelet Volume (MPV)
Metanephrine
Methadone
Methaemoglobin (MetHb)
Methotrexate
Monocyte Chemottractant Protein-1 (MCP-1)
Myoglobin
Na+
NEFA
Nitrite
Non-HDL Cholesterol
Norepinephrine
Normetanephrine
Norpropoxyphene
Nortryptyline
NT proBNP
Oestradiol
Osmolality
Osteocalcin
Oxalate
Oxazepam
Oxygen Content (O2CT)
Oxygen Saturation (sO2 / Vol O2)
Oxyhaemoglobin (O2Hb / HbO2)
P24
PAPP-A
Paracetamol
pCO2
pH
Phencyclidine
Phenobarbital
Phenytoin
Phosphate
Phosphate (Inorganic)
Plasma Renin Activity
Plasminogen
Plateletcrit (PCT)
Platelets (PLT)
PlGF
pO2
Potassium
Prealbumin (Transthyretin)
Primidone
Procalcitonin
Progesterone
Prolactin
Protein
Protein (Total)
Protein C
Protein S
PSA
PSA (Free)
PSA (Total)
PT (including INR)
PTH
Red Blood Cell Count (RBC)
Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW)
Renin (Direct Concentration)
Retinol Binding Protein
Rh(D)
Rheumatoid Factor
Salicylate
Salicylic Acid
Secobarbital
sFlt-1
sFlt-1/PlGF ratio
SHBG
Sirolimus
Sodium
Specific Gravity
Strain Identification
Syphilis
T3 (Free)
T3 (Total)
T4 (Free)
T4 (Total)
Tacrolimus
Testosterone (Free)
Testosterone (Total)
Theophylline
Thyroglobulin
TIBC
Tobramycin
Total Bilirubin
Total Haemoglobin
Total Haemoglobin (tHb)
Total hCG
Total White Blood Cell Count (WBC)
Transferrin
Triglycerides
Troponin I
Troponin T
Trypanosoma Cruzi Antibodies
TSH
TT
Tumour Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF-α)
UIBC
Unconjugated Oestriol
Urea
Uric Acid
Urobilinogen
Valproic Acid
Vancomycin
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF)
Vitamin B12
VMA
Demand for external support driving growth of EQA
“In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) Quality Controls Market” recently published by Markets and Markets has highlighted an overall significant growth within the Quality Control Market. Further growth is anticipated in the coming years with the Markets and Markets report estimating that the IVD QC market will be worth $979 million.
One area that is currently experiencing growth within this sector is the EQA segment, which Markets and Markets estimates to command a 6.6% share of the overall IVD market. The report is crediting growth within this segment to you, the customer, stating “…various end users or customers of IVD quality control products mostly prefer external support to run their quality control activities. For this, market players are largely focusing on providing external quality assurance (EQA) support”. As such companies such as Randox are being approached to provide EQA for a range of small, independent laboratories and large laboratory chains alike.
What other factors have contributed to this growth?
The adoption of ISO15189 and other similar standards is becoming mandatory in many countries, as discussed in a previous blog post. Accreditation highlights the accuracy and reliability of the patient results being released. ISO15189 states that “The laboratory shall participate in interlaboratory comparisons such as those organised by external quality assessment or proficiency testing schemes”. Therefore laboratory managers are employing EQA programmes in their laboratory to meet such requirements. EQA also enables laboratories to meet other accreditation requirements such as peer comparison and clinically relevant testing.
Selecting the right EQA for you
When selecting the right EQA scheme for your laboratory there are a number of considerations to be made; sample frequency, peer group numbers, report format, report turnaround and so on. According to a survey conducted by Randox Quality Control 55% of respondents listed sample frequency as the most important feature to be considered when selecting an EQA scheme. Sample frequency is an ongoing debate regarding EQA. However, schemes with frequent reporting will allow you to easily pinpoint when an error occurred and implement corrective actions with minimal disruption. Also making the top three key factors in this survey were; quality samples and peer group numbers.
What can Randox Quality Control offer?
As the largest international EQA scheme available on the market RIQAS offers laboratories around the world assurance that the results they are releasing are accurate and reliable. With more than 40,000 participant in 124 countries and 32 flexible programmes we are certain that the external support we offer for your quality control activities will provide you with the upmost confidence in your laboratory’s performance. Furthermore with our programmes accepted by national and international accreditation bodies worldwide employing RIQAS can help you gain accredited status providing your end users with peace of mind. With other benefits such as programme consolidation, rapid report turnaround, easy to read at-a-glance reporting and the ability to register up to 5 instruments per programme at no extra cost why don’t you contact us today and find out how we can support your quality control activity?
To request a visit from a QC consultant contact us via acusera@randox.com
CYFRA 21-1 External Quality Assessment
The RIQAS CYFRA 21-1 EQA programme is designed to cover the analysis of CYFRA 21-1 in clinical laboratories when monitoring the response to treatment of cancers such as non-small cell lung carcinoma, cervical, breast and bladder cancer.
- Lyophilised samples
- Monthly reporting
- Testing covers the full range of clinically relevant decision levels
- Submit results and view reports online via RIQAS.net
- 12 month subscription
- Cycle Starts – March 2025
| Cat No | Kit Size | Frequency | Parameters | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RQ9175 | 12 x 1ml | Monthly | 1 | |
Parameter
- CYFRA 21-1 (Cytokeratin 19 fragment)
Please note, product availability may vary country to country.
Related Products
Anti-TSH Receptor External Quality Assessment
The RIQAS Anti-TSH Receptor EQA programme is designed to cover the analysis of Anti-TSH Receptor in clinical laboratories when thyroid dysfunction is suspected.
- Lyophilised samples
- Monthly reporting
- Testing covers the full range of clinically relevant decision levels
- Submit results and view reports online via RIQAS.net
- 12 month subscription
- Cycle Starts – March 2025
| Cat No | Kit Size | Frequency | Parameters | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RQ9174 | 12 x 1ml | Monthly | 1 | |
Parameter
- Anti-TSH Receptor (TRAb)
Please note, product availability may vary country to country.
Related Products
Immunosuppressant External Quality Assessment
The RIQAS Immunosuppressant EQA programme has been designed to cover the analysis of Immunosuppressants in clinical laboratories. Immunosuppressants are primarily used after transplant operations to prevent the host body from rejecting donor organs.
- Lyophilised samples
- Monthly reporting
- Testing covers the full range of clinically relevant decision levels
- Submit results and view reports online via RIQAS.net
- 12 month subscription
- LC/MS reference values provided enabling participants to compare results to an accurately assigned value
- Cycle Starts – March 2025
| Cat No | Kit Size | Frequency | Parameters | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RQ9159 | 12 x 2ml | Monthly (1 x 12 month cycle) | 4 | |
Parameters
- Ciclosporin
- Everolimus
- Sirolimus
- Tacrolimus
Please note, product availability may vary country to country.