Objectives

This study will help assess the educational and pratical experiences policies and procedures dedicated to the laboratory's effors in maintaining medical laboratory scientis skills in the performance of accurate WBC differential counts and other peripheral blood smear morphological assessments. The evaluation provided will assist in the construction of individual educational programs for the technical staff and show areas that need focused review and improvement. The study will help laboratories meet requirements for consistency of reporting morphology among staff and personnel competency requirements (testing previously analyzed specimens).*

Data Collection

A series of online whole slide imagies of Wright or Wright-Giemsa-stained peripheral blood smears using DigitalScope® technology will be available to each participating institution to assess medical laboratory scientists performance on WBC differential counts and moprphology assessment. Each medical laboratory scientists will receive their own kit. Medical laboratory scientists will provide information about their continuing education and professional background. Information will be collected from each site regarding their institution's minimum continuing education requirements for their technologists in hematology and relevant procedures and policies related to peripheral blood smear assessment.

Performance Indicators

• An individual medical laboratory scientist score are based on a standardized competency assessment method to determine a medical laboratory scientist ability to identify various WBC types, red blood cell morphology, and platelet morphology in normal and abnormal cases
• Overall laboratory score based on the facility's individual medical laboratory scientist’s performance(s).

Program Information

Your Reports – What to Expect:

• A Participant Summary Report explaining the grading criteria for each case, how to read the reports, annotated images, and case descriptions.
• An institution report with your facility’s score summary with comparison to other institutions and a technologist score summary by case for each participant.
• An individual report for each participant listing their responses and score for each case.

To meet your staff comparative morphology and technical competency assessment requirements:

• Result forms for up to 10 medical laboratory scientists (QPC10)
• Result forms for up to 25 medical laboratory scientists (QPC25)
• Multiple kits may be purchased to accommodate quantity needed.

Shipping Schedule

C Mailing: June 2, 2027

Additional Information

*Participation in this study helps laboratories meet applicable requirements:

• CLIA personnel requirements (Subpart M, 42 CFR §493.1)
• CAP Laboratory Accreditation Program Checklist statements HEM.34400,consistency of morphologic observation among personnel performing blood cell microscopy at least annually; GEN.55500, element 5, Competency Assessment of Testing Personnel; GEN.55525, Performance Assessment of Supervisors/Consultants; DRA.11425, functions or responsibilities are properly performed by a qualified individual
• The Joint Commission Standards HR.01.05.03,01.06.01 (EPs 3, 18, 19), HR.01.07.01, PI.03.01.01(EPs 3-5), and LD.04.05.01, 04.05.03 (EPs 1-6) regarding in-service training, continuing education, competency, and evaluation of staff members.