Pre- and post-analytical errors in the RCPA microbiology quality assurance program 1987–2008

Objective To report on the frequency of pre- and post-analytical errors by participants in the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) Microbiology Quality Assurance Programe (MQAP). Methods Retrospective review of MQAP data 1987–1991 and 2004–2008. Pre-analytical errors rates were based on participants’ detection rate of clerical errors for patient name and identification number for the given test item. Fictitious errors were defined as the reporting of a labelling error when in fact there was no discrepancy. Post-analytical errors rates were based on clear transcription errors resulting in the test result being incorrectly assigned to another test item. Results When there was one clerical error a median of 9% (range 2–27%) of participants failed to report it. When there were two errors 6% (range 0–29%) failed to report either error. A median of 0.7% (range 0–6%) of participants reported fictitious errors. Of the 83 items where direct transposition errors were possible 54 (65%) had at least one participant who transcribed the results. Pre-analytical errors have not decreased over time. Conclusions Pre- and post-analytical errors are not rare amongst participants in the RCPA MQAP. These non-analytical components of the testing pathway require improvement.