What Is Proficiency Testing?
Proficiency testing (PT) is an external quality assessment process where laboratories test unknown samples from an approved provider and compare their results to peers or reference values. CLIA requires PT for many regulated analytes.
CLIA PT Requirements
- Enroll in approved PT programs for applicable analytes.
- Treat PT samples like patient specimens using routine methods.
- Submit results by the provider’s deadline.
- Review PT scores and investigate any unacceptable results.
- Document corrective actions and follow-up.
Common PT Pitfalls
- Testing PT specimens using special procedures not used for patients.
- Sharing PT results with other labs prior to submission.
- Inadequate investigation of poor performance.
- Missed or late PT events due to poor tracking.
Best Practices for PT Management
- Assign a PT coordinator and backup.
- Maintain a PT calendar for all analytes and events.
- Standardize review and sign-off processes for PT results.
- Integrate PT findings into QA and improvement programs.
PT Tracking in mylabcompliance.io
mylabcompliance.io streamlines PT management by:
- Tracking PT events, due dates, and analytes in one system.
- Assigning responsibility and reminders for each PT survey.
- Storing PT reports, scores, and corrective action documentation.
- Providing dashboards that show PT performance trends over time.