WHO manual for organizing a national external quality assessment programme for health laboratories and other testing sites (2016)

ISBN 978 92 4 154967 7
This publication is only available online.

Results of clinical testing obtained from laboratories or testing sites at or near the point of care must be as accurate as possible as they have a direct impact on care and treatment, prevention, and control of diseases. Testing consists of pre-examination, examination, and post-examination processes, which require strict implementation of a quality management system.

The term “external quality assessment” (EQA) is used to describe a method/process that allows testing conducted by a laboratory, testing site or individual user to be compared to that of a source outside the laboratory – of a peer group of laboratories or a reference laboratory or testing site.

This manual describes some of the strategic, managerial, financial, technical and scientific aspects to be considered in establishing a national EQA programme for clinical laboratories and other testing services at all health care levels.