Blood smear analysis is a well known technique in medical laboratories. Clinical relevance of this analysis and its interpretation are very important. Consequently, monitoring of laboratory performance by an external quality assessment scheme is strongly recommended. Most starting external quality organizers set up a scheme for clinical chemistry. Due to a lack of guidance documents, many organizers are reluctant to offer a hematology scheme. This article aims to be a very practical guidance document for external quality assessment organizers for the set up of blood smear schemes.

Zusammenfassung:In einer Multicenter-Evaluierung in drei Laboratorien wurden die Meßgrößen Hämoglobin, Hämatokrit, Erythrozyten, Leukozyten, Thrombozyten und die berechneten Indices des Hämatologie-Analyzers Argos 5 Di ff im Vergleich zu den Ergebnissen am Analyzer H1 der Firma Bayer Diagnostic undCoulterSTKS untersucht. Die Zeitdifferenz zwischen den Messungen in Berlin und Hannover betrug 8 bis W Stunden. Der Probentransport erfolgte mit dem IC-Kurierdienst. Die Daten zur Qualitätssicherung, Linearität, Verschleppung, Probenalterung und zur Vergleichsmessung normaler und pathologisch veränderter Proben werden dargestellt und statistisch nach einem parameterfreien Verfahren ausgewertet. Die Ergebnisse der beiden untersuchten Argos Systeme zeigen im Vergleich zu den mit unterschiedlicher Meßtechnik arbeitenden Analysatoren H1und STKS, die bereits seit längerer Zeit eingeführt sind, gute Übereinstimmungen. Die Argos Analysatoren mit der menugesteuerten Software und einer automatisierten Probenzufuhr erwiesen sich als zuverlässig und betriebssicher. Die Betriebskosten liegen mit 0,28 DM/kleines Blutbild in einer marktgerechten Größenordnung. Schlüsselwörter: Kleines Blutbild -Hämatologie-Analyzer-Evaluierung -Cobas Argos Summary: A multicenter eväluation was conducted in three laboratories. The parameters hemoglobin, hematocrit, erythrocyte, leukocyte and thrombocyte count and the calculated erythrocyte indices ofthe blood cell counter Argos 5 Diffwere examined in comparison _.. with the results ofthe Bayer Diagnostic H1 and ofthe Coulter STKS blood cell counter. The time difference between the measurements in Berlin and Hannover was 8-hours. Sample transport was done by railroad express Service. The data concerning quality control, linearity, carry-over, samplestability and parallel measurementof normal and pathological specimens are presented. For statistical eväluation a nonparametric procedure was used. The results obtained with the two Argos Systems examined corresponded well with the outcome of the analyzers H1 and STKS using different techniques ofmeasurement, which were introduced some years ago. The Argos analy-'zers with their menu-operated Software and automatic sampling worked reliable and without major technical difficulties. The operating costs are about 0,28 DM/blood count, which is in accordance with the Standards of the market.

Blood smear analysis is a well-known technique in medical laboratories. The clinical relevance of this analysis and its interpretation are very important. Consequently, monitoring of laboratory performance by an external quality assessment scheme is strongly recommended. This article represents a very practical guidance document for External Quality Assessment Scheme (EQAS) organizers for setting up blood smear schemes. In the first part of the guidelines, the Hematology Working Group of the European External Committee for External Quality Assurance Programmes in Laboratory Medicine (EQALM) published practical information for the preparation of blood smears for use in an EQAS. Part II focuses on aspects such as survey preparation, statistical evaluation and reporting, and describes particular details for organizing blood morphology EQA surveys by means of virtual microscopy.

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In this European multicenter project REACH-Responsive Engagement of the older adults promoting Activity and Customized Health care (REACH), a sensing-monitoring-intervention system is being developed that can be placed in an unobtrusive manner in various care settings and living environments of the older adults. In order to develop such a complex user-centered system, experts from several professions needed to collaborate in a joint development team. To have a successful development progress, it is essential to perform requirement specification and analysis in the beginning of the project. A description of the targeted end-user including the user environment and an analysis of the entities associated with the user and thus associated with the system is needed. Different methods are used to describe and analyze these important components of the REACH system, such as describing use cases, creating personas, developing experience maps, and defining and analyzing stakeholders. The methods used are described and the findings are reported.