Time-of-day dependence of running averages for some components of metabolic panels at our hospital: Relation to strategy for patient-based quality control.

Background And Objectives: We assessed properties of running averages for our hospital's most common chemistry analytes, for use in real-time patient-based quality control (PBQC). We determined whether there was dependence of any running averages on 24-h clock time (time-of-day, TOD).

Materials And Methods: We analyzed 3-months' data for measurements of 13 metabolic panel components.