So, I asked this questions in another forum, but I'm going to try it here as well to see if I can get anyone to bite.

With CAP, according to the Laboratory Activity Menu for Blood Bank, an alternative assessment is required for RBC antigen typing. It also states that " for activities requiring alternative assessment, labs can use PT provided by the CAP or other providers." Is this saying that we can count the antigen typing we do with the BB surveys as an alternative assessment as long as we get what the greater percentage of everyone else got when they did the same survey?

CAP has an RBC Antigen Typing proficiency available.  It comes twice a year.

CAP survey RBCAT twice a year, 2 specimens per shipment, multiple antigen typings on each specimen.

 

So is the RBCAT survey necessary or not?  Antigens are typed on the Transfusion Medicine Survey, is this not sufficient?

No, J Series does not count for Antigen Typing because CAP has cleverly classified those results as "Ungraded".  I'm not sure why they require it when it has no impact other than for us to use up valuable resources. 

As others have stated, they do have another series RBCAT which does 'count' and makes them more money.  We should petition CAP to remove the Antigen Typing section from the J Series.  I think I'll write to them ...

 

Thanks for posting this.  It looks like the RBCAT survey is new for this year.  I agree - we should ask for the ungraded antigen types to be removed from the J Series then because it is a waste of time and money if we have to order the RBCAT survey anyway.

We use API.  It is cheaper but you don't have as much time to do them.

Unless I am reading incorrectly, NOTE 1 under COM.01500 states that ungraded PT programs are acceptable:

"NOTE 1:  Appropriate alternative performance assessment procedures include participation in an external PT program not required by CAP; participation in an ungraded/educational PT program; split sample analysis with referral or other laboratories, split sample analysis with an established in-house method, use of assayed materials, clinical validation by chart review, or other suitable and documented means.  It is the responsibility of the laboratory director to define such alternative assessment procedures and the criteria for successful performance in accordance with good clinical and scientific laboratory practice."

Based on this, I would think that the J survey meets these requirements. 

 

 

On ‎9‎/‎14‎/‎2017 at 9:19 AM, JPSCANNELL f. CROKE said:

No, J Series does not count for Antigen Typing because CAP has cleverly classified those results as "Ungraded".  I'm not sure why they require it when it has no impact other than for us to use up valuable resources. 

As others have stated, they do have another series RBCAT which does 'count' and makes them more money.  We should petition CAP to remove the Antigen Typing section from the J Series.  I think I'll write to them ...

 

I have emailed CAP for clarity, but I haven't received a response. I may give them a call on Tuesday when I'm back in the lab to get a quicker response.

On ‎9‎/‎15‎/‎2017 at 12:25 PM, amblanki said:

Unless I am reading incorrectly, NOTE 1 under COM.01500 states that ungraded PT programs are acceptable:

"NOTE 1:  Appropriate alternative performance assessment procedures include participation in an external PT program not required by CAP; participation in an ungraded/educational PT program; split sample analysis with referral or other laboratories, split sample analysis with an established in-house method, use of assayed materials, clinical validation by chart review, or other suitable and documented means.  It is the responsibility of the laboratory director to define such alternative assessment procedures and the criteria for successful performance in accordance with good clinical and scientific laboratory practice."

Based on this, I would think that the J survey meets these requirements. 

 

 

I'm sorry to be so green, but where can I find this communication?

On 9/16/2017 at 2:19 PM, EAB81 said:

I'm sorry to be so green, but where can I find this communication?

It is on the Cap all common checklist  COM.01500