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Complete Article from Edition 58 APG eNewsletter
Article by Michael Haller, Operations Manager at APG
What makes APG a superior PT Provider? It begins with our focus. APG strives to lead the proficiency testing market. Leading means developing stable, high quality products and providing services and support that helps participating laboratories to efficiently generate defensible data.
A Hassle Free Experience
APG realizes that complicated instructions, difficult reporting systems, and unresponsive customer service can be very frustrating for participating laboratories. Therefore, APG strives to provide laboratories an easy, hassle free experience.
Hassle Free: Support
APG has been in business for over 25 years and our customer service is a tremendous asset. On a weekly basis, our knowledgeable staff assists labs on every continent with both technical and non-technical questions (http://www.apgqa.com/help/index.asp). In addition, all analyte ranges, applicable methods, sample preparation instructions and MSDS are located on APGQA.com to reduce hassles. In addition, APG’s quality control standards are generally verified in an inter-laboratory study and NIST traceable (whenever applicable) to give laboratories the perfect level of documentation and confidence that cannot be achieved by internally created standards (http://www.apgqa.com/newsletters/4_2003_qc.asp).
Hassle Free: Affordable Pricing
APG offers its products at very affordable rates; our prices are considerably lower than the most providers. We keep our prices in check because we understand that many laboratories are governed by costs and bottom lines, and we want to give you the best quality product for a price that your budget can afford (http://www.apgqa.com/products).
Hassle Free: Shipping
One often overlooked aspect of a provider is their shipping department. Shipping internationally is frequently not a simple task. However, APG has the experience to deliver samples throughout the world. APG delivered samples to well over 100 laboratories on six continents during the United Nations GEMS 5 and 6 studies (http://www.apgqa.com/newsletters/12_2004_gems.asp). Finally, APG’s relationship with the highest quality distributors throughout the world provides excellent local support (http://www.apgqa.com/distributor/index.asp).
Hassle Free: Data Reporting
APG’s online data entry system is used by the majority of participating labs. Over the past 5 years, laboratories have submitted over one million data points using the electronic system. APG’s data entry defaults (http://www.apgqa.com/newsletters/8_2005_data_entry.asp) and LIMS upload (http://www.apgqa.com/lims) are more evidence that APG provides a hassle free experience. The LIMS upload allows participating laboratories to send data from their laboratory information management systems (LIMS) to APG’s data entry system to nearly eliminate data entry time and mistakes. APG also provides simple paper data reporting forms for laboratories that do not wish to enter online.
Hassle Free: Reports
Most providers give participating laboratories performance evaluation reports that do not provide value to the laboratory’s quality system. Many laboratories request their data in an electronic file from their provider. Why? Because the reports they are supplied do not meet their needs. That creates a definite hassle for laboratories because they have to develop more systems to analyze the data. APG’s industry leading paper and online reports give laboratories the tools to quickly and effective trend performance evaluations and improve the quality of analytical data (http://www.apgqa.com/newsletters/6_2005_advantage.asp).
Hassle Free: Training
APG's Advantage Training Verification Tool enables participating laboratories to use performance evaluation samples and purchase single blind training samples customized to their SOPs to develop a tailor-made training management program. The Advantage Training Verification Tool offers an interactive, online reporting system to provide a simple way for you to monitor and document the demonstration of capability required by ISO 17025 training requirements (http://www.apgqa.com/training_info.asp).
Hassle Free: Products
APG provides the highest quality performance evaluation samples, quality control standards, reagents and calibration materials. All known, quality control samples and unknown, blind quality control samples meet our own stringent internal requirements and numerous international standards and guides (http://www.apgqa.com/certifications.asp). Our known, quality control standards are both NIST traceable and certified in our inter-laboratory program, which gives laboratories assurance that analysis is consistent with international standards. APG’s unknown, blind performance evaluation samples are tested for homogeneity and stability so that participating laboratories can be assured that they are fairly and consistently evaluated from study to study. Finally, APG operates 12 wastewater studies per year, 6 drinking water studies per year, and 4 soils studies per year to provide superior convenience to participating laboratories (http://www.apgqa.com/products/deadlines.asp).
Hassle Free: Reagents and Calibration Materials
Instrument calibration is the most important step in most analytical processes and the quality of data is often directly related to the quality of the calibration standards. Providing a wide range of high quality products is essential to a hassle free experience. APG’s high quality reagents and calibration materials are essential components to a laboratory’s quality system. APG routinely produces reagents with tolerances +/- 0.5%, and will hold the certified value lot to lot within 0.5% (http://www.apgqa.com/products/product_home.asp?programid=11). APG provides a range of high quality calibration materials for both ICP and Ion Chromatography. All APG calibrations materials are verified and certified to be NIST traceable. Similarly all calibration products are certified using both classical chemical analysis and the technique for which they were designed.
Focusing on laboratories and create a hassle free experience make APG a clear choice for your performance evaluation and quality assurance system. For further information, please contact APG customer service at 800-272-4442, 440-899-9452 or by email at support@apgqa.com.
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