Sysmex Journal International

2003Vol.13 No.2

Original

The Gold-Standard Multi-Center for Hematology Laboratory Standardization in Thailand ( GSMC-Thailand ): A Model of National and International Integration Program ( Year 2003 )

AUTHOR(S)

Ahnond BUNYARATVEJ*1, Prasit CHANARAT*2, Montein PUNTUMETAKUL*3,
Jittawat RUNGJEADPHA*4, Siripak PHANYAPORNSUK*5, Pornthip LEAMMUKDA*5, Atsushi SHIRAKAMI*6, Katsuya WADA*6, and Keiji FUJIMOTO*6

*1 Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital,
    Blood Disease Diagnosis Center, Sirikit Medical Center,
    and Institute of Science and Technology for Research and Development,
    Mahidol University
*2 Department of Clinical Microscopy, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences,
    Chiang Mai University
*3 Department of Clinical Microscopy, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences,
    Khon Kaen University
*4 Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University
*5 Meditop Co., Ltd.
*6 Sysmex Corporation

SUMMARY

Over 62 million people distributed in 4 geographical regions, central,north, north-eastern, and southern regions in Thailand. Thai people have their right to equally receive good medical care under the health insurance from government.Hematology laboratories, over 2,000 sites including governmental and private sectors in this country, have to take responsibilities for providing hematology data. A wide range of technology, methods and standard criteria have been implemented among these laboratories.Harmonization of the hematology laboratories with standard service all over the country is the major goal to reach.In 1998, an attempt to share experience of laboratory proficiency has been done under the name of Golden-Standard or Gold-Standard External Quality Assurance ( EQA ) program.This is the collaborating effort between Scientific Division, Sysmex Corporation and Clinical Laboratory Standardization Center Blood Disease Diagnosis Center, Ramathibodi hospital, Mahidol University.The activities have been gradually and continuously progressive since then until the present time.More task forces have joined the activities, including governmental sectors: Prince of Songkla University, Khon Kaen University, Chiang Mai University and private sector Meditop Thailand. All of these task forces have become to be EQA center in each geographical region, of four years have passed, each center become strengthen with more and more participating people and organization. We report our 5-year experience of multi-center for gold-standard program as the national projects covering increasing numbers of nation-wide laboratory members. The Gold-Standard Multi-Center program is a good example model of integration among various institutes both governmental and private sectors and international collaboration.

KEY WORDS

Exterral Quality Assurance, Hematology Analyzer, Hematology Standardization, Laboratory Network