Eight providers carry most of the EQA work in a medical laboratory, and each has a different strength. This page compares them, shows how to combine them into a portfolio, and explains what drives the cost.
The eight providers below cover every discipline of a medical laboratory. KombiMED is the official CAP distributor for Central Asia and the Caucasus and works with the other seven as a partner.
| Provider | Based in | Main disciplines | Distributions per year | Online platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAP — College of American Pathologists | USA | Chemistry, haematology, coagulation, immunology, microbiology, molecular, histopathology, POCT | 3–4 per discipline | e-LAB Solutions Suite |
| Randox RIQAS | UK | Chemistry, immunoassay, haematology, coagulation, specific proteins | 12–24 | RIQAS.Net |
| Bio-Rad EQAS | USA | Chemistry, immunoassay, diabetes, endocrinology, tumour markers | 6–12 | QCNet |
| INSTAND e.V. | Germany | Chemistry, microbiology, virology, immunology, molecular biology | 2–4 per discipline | RV-Online |
| UK NEQAS | UK | Microbiology, parasitology, immunocytochemistry, haematology, chemistry | 4–12 per centre | Portals of the individual centres |
| Labquality | Finland | Chemistry, haematology, microbiology, cytology | 4–6 | LabScala |
| QCMD | UK / international | PCR, NGS, virology, genotyping | 2–4 | QCMD online platform |
| NordiQC | Denmark / international | Immunohistochemistry, ISH | 2–3 per module | NordiQC portal |
Typical figures from our provider catalogue; schemes and frequencies change, the current programme list is part of every offer.
Distributions per year
Typical range per programme or discipline; more distributions find shifts sooner
Typical figures from our provider catalogue; schemes change.
In breadth, speed and specialisation. Broad providers carry the routine disciplines; specialists cover the areas where a general scheme cannot test what matters.
The broadest coverage and the route to CAP accreditation: laboratories outside the US and Canada need six months of CAP proficiency testing before they can apply. Accuracy-based surveys assess trueness against reference methods. Fewer distributions per year than monthly schemes.
The fastest feedback: monthly or bi-weekly distributions and large peer groups per method and analyser. A good partner to CAP for laboratories that want to see shifts within weeks.
Monthly schemes with results and reports via QCNet, alongside Bio-Rad’s Unity software for internal QC. Widely used in Europe and the CIS.
The German reference organisation and one of the oldest EQA programmes in Europe. Simple logistics for the region, strong in virology, microbiology and molecular biology, priced per round.
A network of specialist centres with deep expertise, especially in microbiology, parasitology, haematology morphology and immunocytochemistry.
A Finnish provider for Northern and Eastern Europe, focused on ISO 15189 laboratories and easy participation; lyophilised material that travels well.
The specialist for molecular diagnostics: PCR, viral loads, NGS and genotyping, with panels that test the whole chain from extraction to result. Some panels need a cold chain.
The reference for immunohistochemistry. Assessments grade each protocol and come with recommended optimal protocols — useful for improvement, not only for proof.
For high-technology work, further specialists complement the eight: EMQN and GenQA for molecular genetics and oncogenomics, ESP for morphological pathology, and RfB (DGKL) for clinical chemistry and haematology in the German-speaking market.
Which provider we recommend for which discipline
From our EQA catalogue; a dot means the provider is a recommended choice for the discipline
| Discipline | CAP | RIQAS | Bio-Rad | INSTAND | UK NEQAS | Labquality | QCMD | NordiQC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical chemistry | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | |||
| Haematology | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | ||
| Microbiology | yes | yes | yes | yes | ||||
| Immunochemistry | yes | yes | yes | yes | ||||
| Coagulation | yes | yes | yes | yes | ||||
| Molecular diagnostics | yes | yes | yes | |||||
| Histopathology / IHC | yes | yes | yes | |||||
| POCT | yes | yes | yes |
With a core of broad programmes that carries the routine disciplines, extended by specialists where the test menu needs them. Three levels have proved practical:
One provider for one or two disciplines — typically Randox RIQAS or INSTAND. Suits a small laboratory or a single department.
Two providers for three to five disciplines — typically CAP plus Randox RIQAS. Suits a multidisciplinary laboratory working towards accreditation.
Three or more providers for six or more disciplines and full accreditation — typically CAP, RIQAS, QCMD and NordiQC.
Two rules keep a portfolio lean: avoid paying twice for the same analyte unless the second scheme adds something (faster feedback, accuracy-based targets), and make sure every analyser has a relevant peer group. The discipline-by-discipline mapping is on EQA programmes by discipline.
Three portfolio levels
Indicative KombiMED estimates per year, not quotations
Coverage and peer groups first, price second. A scheme that does not cover the test menu or compares your analyser with the wrong group costs money without proving anything. The checklist:
Annual programme fees are the visible part; shipping, setup and internal time come on top. As a planning guide, our estimates for the three portfolio levels are €2,000–5,000 a year (basic), €5,000–15,000 (standard) and €15,000–40,000 (comprehensive).
| Programme fees | Per programme or module and year; some providers charge per round |
|---|---|
| Registration | A one-off fee at some providers, free at most |
| Shipping | International transport, more for cold-chain panels |
| Accreditation | For CAP accreditation, inspection-related fees in addition to PT |
| Internal time | A coordinator: roughly 40–80 hours for a CAP setup, 10–40 hours for other providers; 10–40 hours of documentation |
| One-off setup | Gap analysis and LIS adaptation, depending on provider and system |
Indicative KombiMED estimates, not quotations. The investment memorandum calculates the tier and roadmap for a specific laboratory; offers for individual programmes come through the buyer portal.
Because the EQA plan follows from the analysers, and we plan both together. KombiMED supplies instruments from 68+ manufacturers, the reagents and control materials they run on, and the EQA programmes that prove the combination works — as the official CAP distributor for Central Asia and the Caucasus, with enrolment, logistics and customs handled in one place.
Programmes and providers in the buyer portal.
Portfolio tier, costs and roadmap in the investment memorandum.
Where your laboratory stands on the way to CAP accreditation.
