Digital Morphology Accessed by the Internet to Support Continuing Professional Development for Laboratory Staff

Between April 2005 and September 2007 the UK National External Quality Assessment Scheme for General Haematology (UK NEQAS (H)) trialled an internet based pilot scheme for Digital Morphology. The Scheme was registered with the Institute of Biomedical Science for Continuing Professional Development. Participating laboratories of the conventional glass slides Morphology External Quality Assessment Scheme were invited to register one individual to participate, in April 2006 registration was increased from 221 to 413 individuals from 14 countries (>85% UK). Following closure of the successful pilot scheme UK NEQAS (H) launched a full internet based Digital Morphology Scheme in April 2008. We report on the initial results from this novel digital morphology scheme.

The scheme is aimed at providing educational feedback for the laboratory scientists who participate. Laboratory managers are invited to register their staff with UK NEQAS(H), participants are then instructed by email when surveys are available for analysis and access the cases by the internet. Cases are built from high quality images, blended and stitched, to give large scale fields of view, equal to an area of at least 60 separate fields at × 60 objective. The “virtual slides” are viewed using appropriate software to allow the participant to move across the image, alter viewer settings and change magnification of the image. Morphology comment assessment sheets are then accessed along with the image and participants complete and submit their findings on line. Once submission is completed the participant has immediate access to detailed educational information about the morphology of the case, including electronic links to relevant internet sites. Once the survey has closed participants receive an email allowing then to access overall completed case data including consensus data from the survey, statistical data and expert opinion. Furthermore they can print a reflective report of their findings against the consensus data.

Since April 2008 two surveys have been fully completed and three more are due for release before the end of the year. For the last release (a case of TPLL), 552 individuals fully completed the survey, whilst a further 51 accessed the case but did not fully complete. Some 95 laboratory managers have registered laboratory staff for the scheme with 1102 individuals now registered for the next case release. Although this novel digital morphology scheme is an initial phase, the keen interest shown by laboratory managers in the UK to register the staff who routinely report morphology may reflect the requirement of laboratories to present evidence that staff are being educated and maintaining their skills in morphology. The system allows participants immediate access to relevant material and examples of morphological features using annotated quality images.

The Scheme’s aim is one of educatin rather than assessment, directed at individuals rather than laboratories or centres. With the key theme of personal professional development promoting improvement to the quality of heamatological morphology this novel internet based Scheme has potential for expansion internationally.