Bacteriology Proficiency Testing Program

Grading Policy

Laboratories are to process proficiency test specimens in the same manner as patient specimens. Thus, laboratories are responsible for identifying test isolates to the same level as performed on patient isolates. If your laboratory speciates an organism on special request, then you must also speciate it in the proficiency test; consider speciation to have been requested on all reportable isolates. In addition, laboratories are not responsible for culturing any test samples from specimen sources which they do not process. Information regarding your laboratory's reporting protocol was provided to us in the questionnaire distributed to all laboratories in the permit application package. Any changes in reporting protocol must be received by our office prior to the mailout date for proficiency testing for that information to be considered in grading.

Our testing format is in compliance with HCFA guidelines as specified in the regulations of CLIA '88. One-half of our samples require identification of all organisms present. The other half require that only the pathogenic organism(s) be reported. We recognize the potential for any organism to be pathogenic depending on the clinical condition of the patient. However, our samples are designed so that only well-established pathogens should be reported.

Each of the five specimens receives a score as determined by the following formula:

(a + b)/(c + d + e) x 100%

a = # correct identifications

b = # correct antibiotic susceptibility results (if applicable)

c = # possible identifications

d = # possible antibiotic susceptibility results (if applicable)

e = # additional organisms reported

Grades for each sample are then averaged to determine the final grade for the testing event. The minimum passing grade for each test event is 80%.