Fifteen Years' Experience of a College of American Pathologists Program for Continuous Monitoring and Improvement

Abstract

CONTEXT: The Q-Tracks program, created in 1999, is a quality monitoring subscription service offered by the College of American Pathologists. OBJECTIVE: To establish benchmarks in quality metrics, monitor changes in performance over time, and identify practice characteristics associated with better performance. DESIGN: The Q-Tracks program provides ongoing study of multiple metrics offered in most laboratory disciplines. The design enables measuring the effects of process changes and comparisons with other participating laboratories. Each laboratory Q-Tracks monitor has a primary quality indicator and additional secondary indicators. RESULTS: To date, 19 Q-Tracks monitors have been offered, with 12 currently active monitors. Q-Tracks are primarily conducted in hospital-based laboratories in the United States, Canada, and 21 other countries. Common to most Q-Tracks monitors is a demonstration of performance improvement by subscribers with long-term participation. This finding was seen in preanalytic, turnaround time, and postanalytic measures. Q-Tracks monitors contribute to the overall demonstration and improvement of laboratory and hospital quality because they address core quality measures for the College of American Pathologists Laboratory Accreditation Program and multiple Joint Commission National Patient Safety Goals. CONCLUSIONS: The Q-Tracks program has established multiple benchmarks in most disciplines of the laboratory and has demonstrated significant performance improvement in benchmarks and individual laboratories over time.