Guidance
Proficiency testing: the process and benefits
Proficiency testing (PT), also known as external quality assessment (EQA), allows the introduction of samples of known but undisclosed content into a laboratory’s routine testing procedure.
The process
The benefits
Proficiency testing (PT):
- provides staff with an insight into their laboratory’s performance
- provides a comparison of performance with that of other laboratories, nationally and internationally
- improves the standard of examinations
- identifies areas where there may be problems
- demonstrates to clients, colleagues and accreditation bodies that there is a commitment to quality
- educates staff, providing a better understanding of the impact of incorrect results
Updates to this page
Published 31 July 2014
Last updated 10 March 2015
show all updates
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Added the proficiency testing process diagram.
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First published.