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The purpose of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) is to establish a network of laboratories to support the diagnostic testing capacities of the federal veterinary diagnostic system for detection of foreign animal disease and for routine disease surveillance during disease outbreaks. Laboratories involved in this network are expected to produce results of the highest quality and reliability by established methods that demonstrate laboratory competence. <P>
In order to guarantee quality within a laboratory, a quality assurance program that ensures valid test, proper techniques, quality control, and calibration of equipment is necessary. Laboratories must establish quality systems to meet the needs of accreditation and Internal Standards of Operation (ISO). This quality system must be consistent with OIE/ISO 17025 standards.<P>
LADDL has established a quality system that follows the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD) Essential Requirements for an Accreditated Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (Version 4.2.1 September 11, 2008). LADDL's Quality System Manual documents the design implementation, and maintenance of and compliance to the Laboratory's Quality System (QS). The manual documents the Laboratory's commitment to the mission of the laboratory by referencing QS Standard Operation Procedures that defines the quality of testing and diagnostic interpretations, the maintenance of that quality, and the assurance that the Laboratory is compliant with its Quality System. All Laboratory personnel are required to acknowledge their understanding of the Laboratory's Quality System. <P>
The mission of the Laboratory is to provide high quality diagnostic services to the people of Louisiana and other clients, so as to improve the well being of companion animals and livestock and to positively impact the economics and health of the population. Reaching this level of quality requires implementing good professional practices throughout the Laboratory. Implementing, maintain and improving a quality system within a laboratory requires continuous work and many resources that are costly. Implementing, maintaining, and improving the quality system will be achieved through training, maintenance contracts, calibration and validation of equipment, measurement of environmental conditions, proficiency testing and document control.
NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: The Louisiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (LADDL), an accredited laboratory with the American association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, will work through a cooperative agreement with the USDA and its interagencies to build a strong animal diagnostic network to enhance the biosecurity of the food and agricultural industries of the United States. LADDL will participate in the National Animal Health Diagnostic Network (NAHLN) and continue to enhance the capability and capacity of the laboratory for the rapid detection and reporting of foreign animal disease to state and federal officials. In order to enhance the Laboratory's ability to perform this work a quality assurance system will be implemented, maintained and improved to guarantee quality results.
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APPROACH: A.Training: LADDL will strive for continual professional development and technical training with workshops and symposiums. LADDL's Quality Assurance Coordinator and other member of the laboratory will continue to attend quality assurance training sessions and NAHLN information technology conferences that are sponsored by the AAVLD or other organizations to help advance LADDL's Quality Assurance Program and Reporting and Messaging within the NAHLN. Four members of the laboratory will attend 52nd Annual AAVLD Meeting in San Diego, CA. on October 7-14, 2009 LADDL's computer analysts will attend all NAHLN IT Committee meetings on October 7, 2009 . LADDL's Quality Assurance Coordinator will attend the AAVLD Accreditations and Quality Assurance Committees Joint Symposium October 8, 2009. Train staff to recognize and detect foreign and emerging animal diseases through workshops and courses when available. <P>
B. Maintenance Contracts: Purchase of maintenance contract for the Cepheid Smartcycler PCR system that is used within the NAHLN testing program.<P>
C. Calibration and Validation of Equipment: Calibration of scales, centrifuges using the ANSI\ASTM Class1 electronic balance calibration weight sets that are NIST/NVLAP certified. Calibration of pipettes using an external company (KENCO Pipette Calibration) and internal calibration using Pipette Tracker (Labtronics, Inc.) which is a pipette and volumetric calibration software. Validation of real time PCR instruments will be accomplished using the Driftcon Temperature measurement system (BIOplastics/CYCLERtest Inc.)<P>
D. Measurement of Environmental Conditions: Continue to monitor and record all environmental conditions (temperature and humidity) that affect testing within the laboratories. NIST devices to measure temperature and humidity will be purchased and used for monitoring and recording environmental conditions as required by relevant specifications that may influence the reliability of test. Measurement of temperatures and humidity in refrigerators, freezers, incubators, and laboratories will be recorded to ensure that the environment does not invalidate the quality of the test results. <P>
E. Proficiency Testing: LADDL will continue to participate in external proficiency testing programs from external sources such as the Veterinary Laboratory Association, National Veterinary Service and NAHLN. The Quality Assurance coordinator will develop an inter-laboratory proficiency programs using LADDL diagnostic specimens as unknowns. LADDL will partner with other AAVLD accredited diagnostic laboratories to develop a proficiency testing program by exchanging specimens of interest.<P>
F. Document control: A Document control system will be further developed to ensure that the current version of the correct document is in use in the laboratories. A document control system will control the distribution of controlled copies of quality systems documents and quality testing documents.