Quality Use of Pathology Program

About the program

The program provides grants for projects that support:

quality pathology referrals
quality pathology practices
quality consumer-focused initiatives.

It funds projects that are in line with the:

QUPP objectives
strategic direction of the National Pathology Accreditation Scheme.

Goals

The program aims to support and encourage the pathology sector to innovate and improve through:

evidence-based referral practices that maximise health benefits for patients and inform consumers, supported by strong relationships and processes between referrers and pathology providers
initiatives that support professional practice standards that meet consumer and referrer needs and provide high-quality, efficient and cost-effective pathology services
accessible and coordinated consumer-focused initiatives that promote informed choice and meet consumer needs.

Who we work with

The Quality Use of Pathology Committee provides advice to the Australian Government on the QUPP.

Apply for funding

Grant application opportunities are advertised on GrantConnect when available.

Read the feedback to applicants for the 2021–23 grant round.

Current funded projects

Developing interpretive quality assurance module for genomic testing for childhood syndromes and intellectual disability

The Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia Quality Assurance Programs is developing and piloting a quality assurance program. The program will improve and standardise publicly funded genomic test analysis, interpretation, results and reporting for childhood syndromes and intellectual disability.

Quality use of non-invasive prenatal rhesus factor D testing

The Australian and New Zealand Society of Blood Transfusion will identify and map all steps in the pathology testing process for rhesus factor D (RhD) negative women.

This project will:

standardise and improve clinical testing pathways to help general practitioners (GPs), obstetricians and pathologists
ensure use of anti-D prophylaxis is appropriate and in line with guidance from the National Blood Authority.

Royal College of Pathologists Australasia manual 2022–2023

The Royal College of Pathologists Australasia (RCPA) will revise and publish an electronic version of its RCPA Manual.

This will provide a portable, accessible, comprehensive resource to help referring health practitioners select pathology tests appropriately and efficiently.

Developing an external quality assurance program to measure the quality of genomic pathology reports

The Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia Quality Assurance Programs will develop an external quality assurance program for genomic pathology reports to:

identify the discipline-specific requirements for genomic pathology
objectively measure the quality of genomic pathology reports using best practice guidelines or, where they exist, standards.

Self-collection vs practitioner collection project 2

The Victorian Cytology Service will compare the sensitivity, specificity and concordance of human papillomavirus (HPV) nucleic acid amplification testing of self-collected specimens with those specimens collected by a clinician.

‘Testing, testing 123’ – a multifaceted educational intervention for GPs to promote best practice in pathology ordering

Medcast will develop and publish an online educational resource for GPs, to improve quality of care for patients while reducing costs from low-value test ordering.

The Emergency Department Pathology Order Support Tool (ED POST) – an intelligent and dynamic electronic tool to facilitate appropriate and effective use of pathology

Macquarie University will design, trial and implement an Emergency Department Pathology Order Support Tool (ED POST). This tool will support appropriate, safe and effective use of pathology.

Reports from past projects