The International External Quality Assessment Scheme (IEQAS) improves and standardizes laboratory diagnosis by auditing the effectiveness of a laboratory’s internal quality assurance systems to determine competence levels. The longevity of the program is a testament to its value in our field. The 20th anniversary milestone was highlighted during the IEQAS Q&A session on April 22, 2024. Participants included WFH Committee members, board members and longstanding volunteers. A video showcasing the objectives, achievements and educational offerings of IEQAS was also shared with the audience.
The WFH is proud to celebrate this milestone in 2024 and acknowledge the importance of diagnosis quality assessment for the global bleeding disorders community. Without accurate diagnosis, those affected by a bleeding disorder would have no chance of accessing adequate treatment and care.
It is estimated that over 70% of expected people living with hemophilia worldwide have not yet been identified and diagnosed. Identification and diagnosis rates are even lower for women with bleeding disorders and for people with hemophilia, von Willebrand disease (VWD) and other rare bleeding disorders. Disparities also exist among various regions of the world, with fewer patients identified and diagnosed in lower-income countries.
The program was established with 40 to 50 labs, and we are now at 140 plus centres, so it’s now a properly global program.
—Steve Kitchen, UK NEQAS Director, Sheffield
It is good to see laboratories in the WFH IEQAS engaged with us to solve problems with their assays. Over the years we have seen improvements in the data returned from participants and is rewarding for the laboratories and for ourselves to see these improvements in the quality assessment results, because we know this can ultimately translate into better care for people with hemophilia.
—Ian Jennings, UK NEQAS Manager and Deputy Director for Blood Coagulation, Sheffield
Participating laboratories assess their quality assurance systems and the reliability of their test results by submitting them three times a year to the United Kingdom National External Quality Assessment Scheme (UK NEQAS) for analysis and feedback. The UK NEQAS has been a WFH partner since the inception of the scheme.
Join us in celebrating this important milestone and in advocating for accurate diagnosis, treatment, and care wherever you are. If your HTC is interested in joining the WFH IEQAS, please contact us at [email protected]. For more information about the scheme, please click here.
The WFH thanks the Novo Nordisk Haemophilia Foundation for its continued support of the WFH International External Quality Assessment Scheme (IEQAS).