Ensuring Reliable Data: An OverviewEnsuring Reliable Data
Oral Presentation
Prepared by P. Root
IDEXX Water, 1 Idexx Dr, Westbrook, ME, 04092-2040, United States
Contact Information: [email protected]; 207-523-0835
ABSTRACT
Since its inception, individuals active in the US National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (NELAP) have struggled to find information to convince others that implementing a Quality Management System (QMS) according to the requirements in the TNI Standard Management and Technical Requirements for Laboratories Performing Environmental Measurements improves data quality. Over the years, various surveys and studies have been conducted to try and prove this assertion. However, the problem has been, and always will be, we never know the true concentration of a contaminant in a sample. All measurements are only estimates of the true concentration, and quality control data does not always directly correlate with the measurement of the actual contaminant. In 2019, TNI’s Advocacy Committee initiated a new effort to document improved laboratory performance and trust in the data provided by accredited laboratories. This presentation will summarize the outcomes from the Committee’s efforts that demonstrates why implementing a QMS based the TNI standard makes a real difference in both data quality and laboratory performance.
