Tips for selecting panels, budgeting, and enrolling
Planning your Proficiency Testing (PT) year is part and parcel of maintaining the work of a clinical laboratory – ensuring compliance, accurate patient testing, and streamlining your facility’s operations throughout the year. Whether assessing your budget or considering new PT providers, taking a proactive approach to planning can result in better outcomes—and potentially, cost savings.
This article provides key strategies to help your laboratory prepare for the upcoming PT cycle, including selecting panels and budgeting. Enrollment for most programs, including those from WSLH Proficiency Testing (WSLH PT), typically runs from July through December, making now the perfect time to start organizing your plan.
Align PT Panels with Your Test Menu
Once you’ve marked your calendar for the upcoming enrollment window, the next step is to take a close look at your test menu. How do you match your laboratory’s needs to your current test menu? This step is crucial to maintaining compliance and verifying accuracy across all testing areas. Review your current test menu and confirm that your PT selections reflect any updates in instrumentation or services.
Start by reviewing your current offerings and identifying any recent or upcoming changes—such as new instruments, expanded test menus, or retiring assays. The following questions below can help guide you and your team in making more adjustments that are more relevant, and potentially more cost-saving to your laboratory.
Key Considerations:
- Do you anticipate adding new instruments or assays?
- Are all required tests covered by your current provider?
- Does your PT provider provide analytes that are accepted by your accreditation agency?
- Is your facility enrolled in large, fixed bundles? How suitable is that for your laboratory’s needs? Are there smaller, more relevant, and affordable options?
Budget for the Year Ahead
Budgeting for proficiency testing may seem straightforward, but hidden costs can quickly add up—especially if your provider’s pricing model includes unnecessary extras or lacks transparency.
Ways to Build a Smarter PT Budget:
- Compare pricing across providers to identify the best value.
- Look at total cost—not just the panel price, but shipping, additional enrollments, and rush order fees.
- Account for PT programs that align with your actual test volume and lab size.
WSLH PT is often a more affordable PT solution, especially for small- to mid-sized laboratories. Our competitive pricing and tailored services give you better control over your lab’s budget without compromising on quality or compliance.
Explore Enrollment Options Early
Early enrollment gives your lab the widest range of choices. Enrollment in next year’s proficiency testing programs typically begins late summer to early fall. To ensure participation in all shipments, it is important to submit enrollment forms as early as possible.
Consider diversifying your PT providers. While many labs rely on one PT provider exclusively, adding a secondary provider can help mitigate risk, ensure continuity, and increase flexibility in panel selection. Your PT provider should do more than ship samples. They should offer expertise, responsive service, and meaningful insights to help your lab maintain quality and compliance.
Navigate PT with Confidence
Planning your PT year doesn’t have to be stressful. With the right preparation and the right partner, your lab can meet regulatory requirements, maintain high-quality results, and even reduce costs.
Let WSLH Proficiency Testing be your trusted guide as you plan for the year ahead. Our team is here to support your success—through expert-designed programs, reliable service, and a commitment to quality that you can count on.
Ready to Get Started?
Request a quote from WSLH Proficiency Testing today and discover how we can help your lab navigate proficiency testing with confidence.
📅 Enrollment for 2026 proficiency testing with WSLH PT opens late summer. Don’t wait—plan ahead to ensure a seamless and cost-effective PT year.
