The following aspects of quality assurance (QA) may be applied to the identification of medically important arthropods:
- Keep records of all quality assurance corrective actions
- Participate in a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act (CLIA)-approved (and required) competency assessment, such as the College of American Pathologists (CAP) Ticks, Mites, and Other Arthropods (TMO) proficiency survey program. (Photomicrographs are provided.) Refer to https://www.cap.org/ for more information.
- Review competency assessment Final Critiques with staff and use information gleaned to update standard operating procedures (SOPs)
- Document all initial training of laboratorians performing arthropod identifications, as well as all required periodic competency assessments.
- Use stock (preserved) arthropods and arthropod atlases (such as the CDC Atlas) as identification tools to be used by staff.
- Allow staff performing arthropod identifications to peer-review or blind-check previously reported specimens in order to develop competency.
