Clinical Diagnostics • Quality Control

Monitor Testing
Precision and Risk

Independent Quality Controls

Count on Bio-Rad Independent Quality Controls to help assure the reliability of your patient results.

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Independent Quality Controls

For decades, Bio-Rad Quality Controls experts have developed multi-analyte, independent controls for monitoring the precision of test systems and methods. With independent quality controls, you can count on consistent quality products that help assure the reliability of your patient results.

CLIA

For each test system, the laboratory is responsible for having control procedures that monitor the accuracy and precision of the complete analytical process.

42 CFR Part 493.1256 Medicare, Medicaid, and CLIA Programs; Laboratory Requirements Relating to Quality Systems and Certain Personnel Qualifications; Final Rule

Watch the video to learn how you can provide patients with the reliable results they deserve.

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The Case for Independent Quality Controls

Any patient result reported without monitoring quality control is at risk. The better way to monitor system performance is with independent controls from a third-party manufacturer.

ISO 15189

Laboratory shall use quality control materials that react to the examining system in a manner as close as possible to patient samples. Use of independent third-party control materials should be considered, either instead of, or in addition to, any control materials supplied by the reagent or instrument manufacturer.

ISO 15189:2012. Medical laboratories – requirements for quality and competence. Clause 5.6.2.2 Quality Control Materials

Independent quality controls are an essential part of a quality control system.

  • They provide an independent unbiased assessment of your lab's test system or method performance because they are manufactured independently of the instrument, reagents and calibrators
  • They give you greater confidence in your results because they help detect errors that instrument manufacturer controls miss

The Challenges of Instrument Controls

Many instrument manufacturers provide calibrators and control materials for their own test systems. The instrument controls, often designed and manufactured from the same materials as the calibrators, may then mimic the calibrators and be less sensitive to changes in device performance.

Instrument controls - may fail to detect:

  • Calibration errors
  • Procedural errors
  • Errors due to faulty equipment
  • Errors due to shifts in following maintenance

Failing to detect system and process errors can lead to accepting inaccurate patient results that can be medically important.

Instrument Controls May Not Detect Calibration Errors

Bio-Rad's Independent Quality Control vs. In-Kit Control

In this scenario, the lab's in-kit control material did not detect the degradation of the calibrator material. Bio-Rad's Liquichek Cardiac Markers Plus Control L, manufactured independently of the test system's calibrators and reagents, detected a shift due to degradation of the calibrator materials and the lab avoided releasing incorrect patient results.

Bio-Rad's independent controls with a longer shelf life enable you to use the same control lot over multiple batches of reagents and calibrators. This way you can detect shifts from lot-to-lot variation.

More laboratories trust Bio-Rad for quality control products than any other manufacturer. Count on Bio-Rad for consistent product quality and reliable patient results.

Bio-Rad experts can help you strategize and tailor the right quality control program for your lab.

Contact a Bio-Rad QC Expert today!

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For a truly independent assessment of the test system, it is very important to use controls that are not provided by the instrument manufacturer.

Carol Bartlett, QC Coordinator, USA

If you work with manufacturer controls, you will miss a lot of analytical problems that may have an impact on patient results. Moreover, testing independent controls is a requirement of ISO 15189:201

J. M. Gras, MD
Clinique Saint-Luc, Bouge, Belgium

Bio-Rad's Independent Quality Controls

  • Blood gas controls
  • Cardiac assessment controls
  • Chemistry controls & serum indices
  • Coagulation controls
  • Diabetes/hemoglobin controls
  • Hematology controls
  • Immunoassay controls
  • Immunology/protein controls
  • Infectious disease controls
  • Molecular controls
  • Premium controls
  • QC products in Dimension Vista vials
  • Therapeutic drug monitoring controls
  • Toxicology: drugs-of-abuse controls
  • Toxicology: specialty controls
  • Urinalysis controls
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Quality Control Solutions

Data Management Solutions

Bio-Rad's data management solutions including Connectivity, Unity Real-Time, Unity Interlaboratory Program and Bio-Rad Mission: Control.

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EQAS - External Quality Assurance Services

EQA programs are accepted around the world as valuable tools for laboratories to assess the performance of their test systems.

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Quality Control Support

Tools and support from our Quality Assurance experts to help answer your quality control questions.

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Education and Training

Online resources, virtual training and industry events to guide your quality control processes.

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BRiCare Support and Monitoring

Bio-Rad's instrument monitoring application for remote service and support. BRiCare is available for all of Bio-Rad's diagnostic instruments for continuous monitoring and remote sessions with an instrument's computer.

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