PSP-One Guatemala Collaborates with Biochemists Association on an HIV Quality Improvement Program with Private Labs
The Guatemala biochemists association (AQBG), in collaboration and with support from the Abt Associates-led PSP-One project, is piloting an HIV module for its existing External Quality Evaluation Program for private labs. Under this voluntary program, participating labs pay a fee to AQBG, who then sends them “mystery samples” for testing. AQBG reviews the test results and provides the labs with detailed feedback on their performance running the tests, improving the quality of their testing services. This is a fully sustainable program run by AQBG for more than 10 years, and currently includes 175 participating labs in the areas of: biochemistry, hematology, urology, parasitology, microbiology, mycology, tuberculosis, and immunology. The HIV module is being piloted under the immunology area.
AQBG has agreed to add a counseling component to this module requiring participating labs to attend PSP-One workshops on proper counseling and testing, making this the only module in the program that goes beyond the technical aspects of a diagnostic test. To ensure the sustainability of the counseling component, AQBG has also agreed to eventually incorporate into this module a new counseling modality that PSP-One is currently pilot-testing with private labs.
AQBG sent mystery HIV samples to the 70 private labs participating in this pilot, and 59 of them have responded by sending their test results. AQBG’s analysis revealed that all of the labs’ tests had 100% sensitivity and there were no false negatives. However, only 11% of the labs conducted confirmatory tests, reinforcing the need to train private lab staff on the national protocol and norms for HIV counseling and testing. AQBG will send out another round of mystery samples this year to see if the labs have improved their testing practices as a result of the program. Once this pilot is complete, AQBG will incorporate the HIV module into the program, providing a sustainable way to support private labs in improving the quality of their HIV counseling and testing.
