External Quality Assessment and Continuous Quality Improvement Process of HIV Viral Load Testing Laboratories in Thailand

Abstract

Department of Medical Sciences, National Institute of Health, has established and performed the external quality assessment scheme for HIV viral load testing since the fiscal year 2004 to improve quality of HIV viral load testing laboratories in Thailand. The program has been certified in proficiency testing by ISO/IEC 17043 : 2010 and the panel of HIV samples was designed and characterized according to ISO 13528 : 2015. The sample panels consisting of six samples per each panel were distributed to participating laboratories twice a year to assess their performance. The performance evaluation of participating laboratories from fiscal years 2016 to 2020 showed an 88% accuracy (| z-score | ≤ 2.00) and 88% precision (within and between laboratory | z-score | ≤ 2.00). The performance evaluation also indicated that participants had employed the information received from the program to enhance reliability, accuracy and precision of HIV viral load testing. The quality improvement of HIV viral load testing would eventually benefit overall HIV/AIDS patients undergoing treatment to get optimal monitoring and care. The outcome of this program would support the national strategic policy towards the ending of HIV/AIDS in the year 2030.