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DIVISION
OF CYTOPATHOLOGY
EQAS - DIAGNOSTIC CYTOPATHOLOGY
27th January 2011
Dear
Colleagues,
The Department of Cytopathology, Tata Memorial Hospital has been an accredited laboratory with the Indian Academy of Cytologists since the past 30 years. We have also been accredited by the NABL (National Accreditation Board for Testing & Calibration Laboratories) since the year 2006. External Quality Assurance programme (EQAS) is one of the pre-requisites for accreditation and Quality Control.
EQAS Diagnostic Cytopathology has been conducted by the Department of Cytopathology TMC as the nodal centre since the year 2007. The number of participants has been steadily increasing from the initial 5 members to almost 50 participants. Hence we have reduced the number of cycles from three per year to two cycles per year. The first cycle will be in February and the second cycle will be in August. A set of cytology slides belonging to gynaec, non gynaec and FNAC cases is couriered to the participant along with the clinical details and evaluation forms (one for gynaec and one for non gynaec). The evaluation form has to be photocopied for each case separately and the identity code assigned to the institute has to be put on each evaluation form.
Since the same slide box is being circulated to all participants, it is absolutely necessary that the slides should be evaluated within 5 working days of receipt of the same, so as to maintain the continuity of the cycle. Please take care that the slide box remains in good condition. In case you receive any glass slide in a broken condition, kindly inform me at drsvkane@gmail.com and also the previous participant regarding the broken slide received so that the participant can inform the courier company and find out the reason for the broken slide.
Kindly note that the evaluation forms have to be returned to us by courier within a period of ten days of receiving the slide box and a copy has to be emailed to us.
If we get it late, please note that it may not be considered for the feedback.
Inclusion criteria for participation in EQAS
- Annual workload of the participant lab should be > 500 cases (FNAC and exfoliative)
- Lab should have a Pap staining set up
- Minimal two smears should be made per sample
- Lab need not be accredited
The slides of all the cycles of the previous year will be discussed in the CME conducted annually at Tata Memorial Hospital. Registration for this CME by the participant laboratory is compulsory. At least one staff from the participant laboratory has to attend the CME. More than one registration from the participant laboratory for the CME is always welcome. Certificate of participation in EQAS will be given at the end of the CME.
Please update the online EQAS registration form and submit again in December 2011 for continuity of your registration for the next year.
Kindly mark your envelopes with "EQAS Diagnostic Cytopathology" while sending the evaluation forms by courier to TMH.
The feedback form of the cycle will be sent to the participant after the evaluation forms of all the participants are received by us.
For any queries / suggestion kindly email drsvkane@gmail.com / dulhan@gmail.com
We look forward to hearing from you.
Thanking you,
Dr S V Kane,
Head, Dept of Cytopathology
Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai.
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Tata Memorial Hospital, Dr.
E Borges Road, Parel, Mumbai - 400 012 India. 