Australia National Pathology Standards (First Edition 2027) 10.04: Measurement uncertainty use: match the effort spent on uncertainty to the clinical quality requirements, set routine performance goals and reduce uncertainty sources when goals are missed, use the process to show assays meet acceptable performance goals and are clinically applicable and to identify tests where estimation is not possible and minimise their risks, make uncertainty data available to requesters and other providers, and use it for data monitoring and troubleshooting of specific tests

What does 10.04 require?

The work put into estimating uncertainty is proportionate to the clinical use of the result. Routine uncertainty goals are set, and missing one triggers a hunt for the contributing sources and action to reduce them; the estimates are used to show assays meet their performance goal and suit their clinical use, and to flag tests where estimation is not possible so their risks can be minimised; requesters and other providers can obtain the uncertainty data; and for defined tests the uncertainty figure informs monitoring and troubleshooting.