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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · J Lab Physicians 2021; 13(04): 328-331
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1731145
Original Article

Sigma Metrics: A Valuable Tool for Evaluating the Performance of Internal Quality Control in Laboratory

Akriti Kashyap
1   Department of Laboratory Medicine, Air Force Command Hospital, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
,
Sangeetha Sampath
1   Department of Laboratory Medicine, Air Force Command Hospital, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
,
Preeti Tripathi
1   Department of Laboratory Medicine, Air Force Command Hospital, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
,
Arijit Sen
1   Department of Laboratory Medicine, Air Force Command Hospital, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
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Abstract

Background Six Sigma is a widely accepted quality management system that provides an objective assessment of analytical methods and instrumentation. Six Sigma scale typically runs from 0 to 6, with sigma value above 6 being considered adequate and 3 sigma being considered the minimal acceptable performance for a process.

Methodology Sigma metrics of 10 biochemistry parameters, namely glucose, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), albumin, direct bilirubin, alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, urea nitrogen, creatinine and uric acid, and hematology parameters such as hemoglobin (Hb), total leucocyte count (TLC), packed cell volume (PCV), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), and platelet were calculated by analyzing internal quality control (IQC) data of 3 months (June–August 2019).

Results Sigma value was found to be > 6 for triglyceride, HDL, Hb, TLC, and MCH, signifying excellent results and no further modification with respect to IQC. Sigma value was between 3 and 6 for glucose, albumin, creatinine, uric acid, PCV, and MCHC, implying the requirement of improvement in quality control (QC) processes. Sigma value of < 3 was seen in AST, ALT, direct bilirubin, urea nitrogen, platelet, and MCV, signifying suboptimal performance.

Discussion Six Sigma provides a more quantitative framework for evaluating process performance with evidence for process improvement and describes how many sigmas fit within the tolerance limits.

Thus, for parameters with sigma value < 3, duplicate testing of the sample along with three QCs three times a day may be used along with stringent Westgard rules for rejecting a run.

Conclusion Sigma metrics help assess analytical methodologies and augment laboratory performance.

Keywords

biochemistry - hematology - quality - Sigma


Publication History

Article published online:
28 June 2021

© 2021. The Indian Association of Laboratory Physicians. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

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