(P-TS-17) Automation Implementation: Competency Solutions

Standards pertaining to competency are most frequently cited during inspections across many accrediting agencies. Ensuring each test system, each employee, and all 6 CLIA competency elements are assessed at the required frequencies each year for non-waived tests can be daunting for lab managers already stretched thin by work assignments and staffing shortages. While implementing new automated analyzers in our Transfusion Service, there was an increased desire to ensure all elements of competency were addressed and to streamline the process as much as possible. The focus of this abstract was to review strategies employed by our laboratory to meet competency requirements.

Study

Design/Methods:

The 6 CLIA elements of competency assessment were reviewed. As the new Echo Lumena (Werfen, Norcross, GA) automation was implemented, available resources supplied by various vendors were assessed. Current processes were reviewed to streamline testing algorithms and eliminate extra methods when possible.

Results/Findings:

Multiple resources from vendors were integrated into the competency assessment process to satisfy the requirements (Table 1).  These resources streamlined our processes efficiently and reduced our labor. Previously ~1 hour per month per tech was spent on competency assessments, now ~0.5 hour. This collectively saved ~54 hours annually.

Conclusions:

The challenges of formulating a competency program to integrate new automation was not as challenging as originally perceived. By utilizing the available methods in our laboratory, we managed competency and other QA tasks such as method to method correlations, to reduce the overall number of tasks performed. Employing resources readily available from vendors alleviated staff from having to create quizzes and challenging samples in house. Several of these resources were able to be used for more than one CLIA element. By assessing the various tools and resources available, we were able to institute a comprehensive competency plan for our department and improve consistency in assessment.