RCPAQAP at AACB/AIMS Conference 2018

The RCPAQAP had a high profile at the Australasian Association of Clinical Biochemists(AACB) Annual Scientific Meeting, held in Sydney at the International Convention Centre from September 3-5^th. This year, the conference was a combined event with the Australian Institute of Medical Scientists which added a multi-disciplinary component to the program. Over fifteen QAP staff attended the meeting and actively interacted with industry and participants alike.

The theme of the three-day conference was “Diagnosis to Cure” featuring many international guest speakers. Particular highlights included Dr Tze Ping Loh’s compelling QAP Plenary on “harnessing laboratory data for better-informed practice”, where he eloquently described the emergence of data science in laboratory medicine and the critical role informatics will play in delivering better healthcare to patients in the near future.  Professor Andy Hoofnagle enlightened delegates with a presentation on mass spectrometry for Vitamin D, emphasising the numerous interferences that can impact on current methodologies (particularly immunoassay), reinforcing the importance of external quality assurance to our profession.

The RCPAQAP Update session was well attended and received. Peter Graham, Wilson Punyalack and Derek Holzhauser provided an update on new developments, with a focus on new programs and the new myQAP portal. The new review functionality was showcased which generated considerable interest. Dr John Massie spoke on recently published clinical guidelines for sweat chloride testing, authored by the members of the AACB RCPAQAP Sweat Testing Advisory Committee. Chemical Pathology Chair, Dr Graham Jones closed the session by providing an update on the Liquid Serum Chemistry and Body Fluids programs.

RCPAQAP featured prominently at the poster display session, with the scientific staff (and affiliates) presenting a total of 8 posters from four disciplines:

1. Review of Factor XIII Screen Versus Assay: Results from the RCPAQAP

2. 2^nd KIMMS workshop, where to now?

3. Stability of lyophilised General Serum Chemistry QAP Material

4. Introduction of a Body Fluids External Quality Assurance Program

5. A Five-year Review: External Quality Assurance of Hereditary Haemochromatosis Testing

6. Icterus Assessment in an external quality assurance program

7. The Effects of Lyophilisation on General Serum Chemistry EQA Material for Routine Measurands

8. Total Pathway to Method Validation –  Dr Gerald Woollard (Advisory Committee member)