Basic Planning for Quality: Training in Analytical Quality Management for Healthcare Laboratories. (Books).

By James O. Westgard, 272 pp, with illus, Madison, Wis, Westgard QC, Inc, 2000.

Basic Planning for Quality: Training in Analytical Quality Management for Healthcare Laboratories provides a practical introduction to quality management and planning with an emphasis on key quality control concepts and issues in the health care laboratory. This is a recent text from an array of educational tools created by Dr James Westgard, an internationally renowned leader in the development and application of quality management principles in health care. More than 15 years ago, Dr Westgard's name became linked to clinical laboratory quality control through his successful efforts to apply multiple quality control rules ("multirules") to clinical laboratory processes. In part through the publisher of this text, Westgard QC, Inc, Dr Westgard has continued to create textbooks such as this product as well as educational programs, software products, and Web-based learning courses. These valuable tools have been used worldwide to facilitate the education of many individuals within health care, and specifically the clinical laboratory, on state-of-the-art practical applications of quality management principles to health care processes.

This book's subtitle identifies directly the nature of the practical information conveyed in the text as well as the audience of readers the book targets. In a clear, concise and "reader-friendly" manner, the author effectively guides the reader through the key steps in quality planning that are relevant to the health care laboratory setting. In achieving this goal, Dr Westgard ensures that the legislative, regulatory, and accreditation body aspects of health care laboratory quality planning and management are also addressed.

This text would most benefit readers who already have some basic knowledge of quality control principles in the health care laboratory. The first 8 chapters systematically develop key issues and considerations in the quality planning process. Each of these chapters generally builds on those that preceded it, and the ninth chapter summarizes and reviews previous major concepts and issues. The next 4 chapters illustrate practical applications to the areas of automated chemistry, blood gas, immunoassay, and coagulation quality planning. The final 2 chapters of this 15-chapter text incorporate frequently raised concerns or questions on quality planning and quality control with the author's useful insights and answers to them. Each chapter concludes with a short list of self-assessment questions, and the answers are available at the end of the text.

As Dr Westgard notes, those who are "eager to learn practical applications and who are more concerned with how to do quality planning than the theory and background" can actually begin with the ninth chapter, briefly review 2 earlier specific chapters on key steps in the quality planning process, and, after studying an application chapter, move on to using the principles for their own applications. The text's appendices summarize recommendations for quality requirements and desirable performance specifications on most routine laboratory procedures; these recommendations are compiled from several key sources, such as the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment of 1988 (CLIA '88) regulations. There is also an appendix addressing financial implications of quality planning. Finally, the text also provides readers with information and guidance to access online quality planning tools available on the Internet.

As health care continues to evolve through a challenging period of regulatory proliferation and financial constraints, it has become increasingly difficult, though no less critical, to ensure quality in laboratory testing. This recommended text is a valuable and worthwhile addition to the library of any health care laboratorian who is responsible for quality planning. It should greatly benefit those interested in enhancing their skills in the development and application of practical quality management concepts to the workplace setting of the health care laboratory.

STEPHEN E. KAHN, PhD, DABCC
AMY HAARA, MBA, MPA
Maywood, Ill