Quality control method of specimen analysis system and specimen analysis system

A specimen analysis system comprising:

• at least one analyzer configured to measure blood specimens and quality control specimens used for assurance of quality of measurement on the blood specimens;
• a supply apparatus comprising a storage provided with a plurality of holders configured to hold the quality control specimens including first quality control specimens of a first concentration level (FQCS) and second quality control specimens of a second concentration level (SQCS), wherein:
• each quality control specimen is assigned a lot number;
• and
• each holder of the plurality of holders is assigned a holder ID;
• a transporter configured to transport the quality control specimens to the at least one analyzer, wherein the at least one analyzer is configured to automatically perform quality control measurements on the quality control specimens;
• and
• a controller configured to store information of the quality control specimens in association with the holder ID such that the plurality of holders holding the quality control specimens can be identified, the information including the lot number of each of the quality control specimens,
• wherein the controller is configured to perform an automatic quality control operation, wherein in the automatic quality control operation,
• (1-1) the controller is configured to:
• (1-1-1) identify, from the quality control specimens in the storage, the FQCS which has the lot number that is identical to the lot number of the FQCS used in a previous quality control measurement;
• (1-1-2) identify the holder ID associated with the lot number of the identified FQCS in order to identify the holder holding the identified FQCS;
• (1-1-3) cause the supply apparatus to retrieve the identified FQCS from the identified holder;
• (1-2) the transporter is configured to transport the retrieved FQCS to the at least one analyzer;
• and
• (1-3) the at least one analyzer is configured to measure the retrieved FQCS to obtain at least one first quality control measurement and to compare the at least one first quality control measurement with a first range having a first upper limit value and a first lower limit value, wherein the at least one first quality control measurement is determined to be normal when the at least one first quality control measurement is within the first range, and wherein the at least one first quality control measurement is determined to be abnormal when the at least one first quality control measurement is out of the first range;
• (2-1) the controller is configured to:
• (2-1-1) identify, from the quality control specimens in the storage, the SOCS which has the lot number that is identical to the lot number of the SOCS used in the previous quality control measurement;
• (2-1-2) identify the holder ID associated with the lot number of the identified SOCS in order to identify the holder holding the identified SOCS;
• (2-1-3) cause the supply apparatus to retrieve the identified SOCS from the identified holder;
• (2-2) the transporter is configured to transport the retrieved SQCS to the at least one analyzer;
• and
• (2-3) the at least one analyzer is configured to measure the retrieved SQCS to obtain at least one second quality control measurement;
• and to compare the at least one second quality control measurement with a second range having a second upper limit value and a second lower limit value, wherein the at least one second quality control measurement is determined to be normal when the at least one second quality control measurement is within the second range, and wherein the at least one second quality control measurement is determined to be abnormal when the at least one second quality control measurement is out of the second range.