Follow
International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences (IJCMAS)
IJCMAS is now DOI (CrossRef) registered Research Journal. The DOIs are assigned to all published IJCMAS Articles.
Index Copernicus ICI Journals Master List 2022 - IJCMAS--ICV 2022: 95.28 For more details click here
National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) : NAAS Score: *5.38 (2020) [Effective from January 1, 2020] For more details click here

Login as a Reviewer


See Guidelines to Authors
Current Issues
Download Publication Certificate

Original Research Articles                      Volume : 10, Issue:9, September, 2021

PRINT ISSN : 2319-7692
Online ISSN : 2319-7706
Issues : 12 per year
Publisher : Excellent Publishers
Email : editorijcmas@gmail.com /
submit@ijcmas.com
Editor-in-chief: Dr.M.Prakash
Index Copernicus ICV 2018: 95.39
NAAS RATING 2020: 5.38

Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci.2021.10(9): 121-127
DOI: https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2021.1009.014


Assessing Quality Indicators for the COVID-19 RTPCR in a Molecular Laboratory
S. Vinod Kumar1*, B. S. Prasad2, Satish S. Patil1, V. L. Jayasimha1, J. K. Veni Emilda1, V. R. Shwetha1, K. G. Raghu Kumar1, M. Veenaand N. K. Kalappanavar2
1Department of Microbiology,
2Department of Pediatrics, S. S. Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, NH-4, Davanagere, Karnataka, India
*Corresponding author
Abstract:

A quality indicator is a tool that enables the user to quantify the quality of a selected aspect of care by comparing it with a set benchmark. The objective of this study was to review quality indicators for COVID-19 molecular testing at S.S. Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre and to compare with the predefined quality indicators in order to improve the performance of the molecular laboratory and to initiate the corrective and preventive measures. Over the period of one year we assessed different quality indicators collected from the molecular laboratory of a tertiary care hospital in Central Karnataka which has processed 36000 throat swabs for the diagnosis of COVID-19. Twelve quality indicators under pre-analytical, analytical and post analytical stage were assessed for the quality by referring it with the select criteria. Missing test request form / specimen (1.36/1000) was the most common inconsistency observed during the assessment of pre-analytical indicators followed by specimen inadequacy (0.194/1000), duplicate specimen referral forms (SRF) generated in ICMR portal (0.277/1000) and color change in the viral transport medium. In analytical phase, non-conformity with QC was seen in 2.83/1000 samples. In post analytical phase, excessive turnaround time was seen in 0.75/1000 samples followed by revised reports due to transcription error (0.38/1000) and duplicate reports (0.13/1000). The results of assessment of quality indicators in the molecular laboratory explicitly supports that laboratory could keep the incidence of errors to the minimum level by following proper corrective and preventive measures. Thus, catering quality laboratory services during devastated COVID pandemic year.


Keywords: Quality indicators, Molecular Laboratory, COVID-19, Root cause analysis, Corrective measures and preventive measures

Download this article as Download

How to cite this article:

Vinod Kumar, C. S., B. S. Prasad, Satish S. Patil, V. L. Jayasimha, J. K. Veni Emilda, V. R. Shwetha, K. G. Raghu Kumar, M. Veena and Kalappanavar, N. K. 2021. Assessing Quality Indicators for the COVID-19 RTPCR in A Molecular Laboratory.Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci. 10(9): 121-127. doi: https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2021.1009.014
Copyright: This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license.

Citations