Apparatus for providing quality control in an instrument for medical analysis
First Claim
1. A method for providing quality control in an analytical instrument, said method comprising the steps of:
- sending one or more quality control specimens to a operator of the analytical instrument;
directly or indirectly communicating control data to the analytical instrument, wherein the control data includes characteristic values for the one or more quality control specimens;
analyzing the quality control specimen using the analytical instrument and thereby creating instrument analysis data;
evaluating the instrument analysis data using the control data to determine a functional status of the analytical instrument; and
providing notice to an operator regarding the functional status of the analytical instrument.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for providing quality control in a medical analysis instrument is provided. The method includes the steps of: 1) sending one or more quality control specimens to an operator of the analytical instrument; 2) directly or indirectly communicating control data to the analytical instrument, wherein the control data relates acceptable standards to the analytical instrument; 3) analyzing the quality control specimen using the analytical instrument and thereby creating instrument analysis data; 4) evaluating the instrument analysis data using the control data to determine a functional status of the analytical instrument; 5) providing notice to the operator regarding the functional status of the analytical instrument; and 6) optionally preventing the reporting of patient data from the instrument if the functional status is unacceptable.
16 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for providing quality control in an analytical instrument, said method comprising the steps of:
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sending one or more quality control specimens to a operator of the analytical instrument;
directly or indirectly communicating control data to the analytical instrument, wherein the control data includes characteristic values for the one or more quality control specimens;
analyzing the quality control specimen using the analytical instrument and thereby creating instrument analysis data;
evaluating the instrument analysis data using the control data to determine a functional status of the analytical instrument; and
providing notice to an operator regarding the functional status of the analytical instrument. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for providing quality control in an analytical instrument, said method comprising the steps of:
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sending one or more quality control specimens to a operator of the analytical instrument;
directly or indirectly communicating control data to the analytical instrument, wherein the control data includes acceptable operating standards;
analyzing the quality control specimen using the analytical instrument and thereby creating instrument analysis data;
evaluating the instrument analysis data using the control data to determine a functional status of the analytical instrument; and
providing notice to the operator regarding the functional status of the analytical instrument.
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20. A quality control system for analytical instruments, said system comprising:
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one or more quality control specimens, each having one or more predetermined characteristic values and an identifier that can identify the quality control specimen;
an analytical instrument, having an analyzer for analyzing the one or more quality control specimens, and thereby create instrument analysis data that includes one or more sensed characteristic values;
means for evaluating the sensed characteristic values of the instrument analysis data using the predetermined characteristic values to determine a functional status of the analytical instrument; and
means for notifying an operator regarding the functional status of the analytical instrument. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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Specification