under the same umbrella as the AMR susceptibility data, and build from that base. Number of Program gathers data A surveillance specimen types generated from one or two program needs specimen types (e.g. blood to consider the cultures and cerebrospinal specimen types fluid for invasive pathogens). to be included, Program gathers data along with the generated from a broad range range of or all clinical specimen types. pathogens on which data are to be gathered. Laboratory Participating laboratories are All clinical participants publicly funded. laboratories in Participating laboratories are Australia privately funded. performing A mix of publicly and privately microbiology testing on funded laboratories participate. clinical specimens should be included. Standardised Bacterial isolates are sent to In Australia, laboratory one or a few reference participation in practice laboratories for testing. The an external QA reference laboratories engage program for all in method standardisation, fields of testing and quality-control is mandated for activities to ensure the comparability of results. NATA/RCPA A large number of laboratories accreditation of contribute data from their own medical
under the same umbrella as the AMR susceptibility data, and build from that base. Number of specimen types Program gathers data generated from one or two specimen types (e.g. blood cultures and cerebrospinal fluid for invasive pathogens). Program gathers data generated from a broad range or all clinical specimen types. A surveillance program needs to consider the specimen types to be included, along with the range of pathogens on which data are to be gathered. Laboratory participants Participating laboratories are publicly funded. Participating laboratories are privately funded. A mix of publicly and privately funded laboratories participate. All clinical laboratories in Australia performing microbiology testing on clinical specimens should be included. Standardised laboratory practice Bacterial isolates are sent to one or a few reference laboratories for testing. The reference laboratories engage in method standardisation, and quality-control activities to ensure comparability of results. A large number of laboratories contribute data from their own In Australia, participation in an external QA program for all fields of testing is mandated for the NATA/RCPA accreditation of medical