Multi-rule quality control method and apparatus

摘要

A method and apparatus for analyzing the results of determinations of the concentrations of medically significant components of control solutions comprise providing a programmable machine, executing on the machine a program which tests the results against a set of statistical quality control rules, and producing indications to an operator of the results of the tests. Illustratively, (a) laboratory analytical instrument(s) run(s) the control solutions interspersed among patient samples, the concentrations of medically significant components of which are determined by the laboratory instrument(s). The quality of the laboratory instrument's(s') process(es) for determining the concentrations of the medically significant components of the patient samples are monitored by testing the outcomes of the concentration determinations of the control solutions against the set of QC rules. The QC testing process is conducted as the concentrations of the medically significant components of the control solutions are determined, so that delays between the determination of the concentrations of the medically significant components of the patient samples and the determination of the state of control of the process(es) by which those concentrations are determined are minimized.