Analytical quality assurance in environmental medicine experiences by a quality circle in Baden-Wurttemberg

In connection with the implementation of the study "Sentinel Health Departm ents" which was performed in 1992 in Baden-Wurttemberg by the Landesgesundh eitsamt (LGA) the importance of Analytical Quality Protection (AQP) in the environmental medicine was emphasized. In 1994 the LGA established a qualit y circle in Baden-Wurttemberg (BW) in the area of the human biomonitoring. In 1998 the area of responsibilitiy was expanding and the quality circle wa s occupied with the "Biological Indoor Pollution" and the "Chemical indoor Pollution" as well. In 2000 a group of members of the Sozialministerium BW, the Landes desarztekammer BW and the four Kassenarztliche Vereinigungen of Baden-Wurttemberg was set up at the LGA. In 2001 the working group "Lander arbeitsgruppe umweltbezogener Gesundheitsschutz" (LAUG) intends to establis h a project team which is called "Certification in the realm of the Human B iomonitoring". The coordination will be effected by the LGA. Until now the work of the qualitiy circle led to an improvement of the comparability of t he results of the different laboratories and to a more realistic assessment of the uncertainty of the results referring to the environmental medical e xaminations.