Lab Assessment of Antibiotic Resistance Testing Capacity (LAARC)
LAARC is a laboratory assessment tool for use in clinical bacteriology laboratories in low- and middle-income countries. It was developed in 2017 and piloted in numerous resource-limited settings.
It helps laboratories identify and correct laboratory practices that contribute to inaccurate antimicrobial resistance (AR) data.
- LAARC User’s Guide and Questionnaire
- LAARC Scoring Tool [XLS – 2 MB]
- LAARC Export Reception File [XLS – 52 KB]
The Excel-based scoring tool:
- Is available in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese
- Generates numerical indicators of quality and capacity in fifteen domains of laboratory practice
- Provides detailed real-time heatmaps for immediate visualization of problem areas
- Flags key responses that require urgent correction
- Aids development of workplans for improvement
- Can be used to monitor the status of laboratory improvements over time
- Allows data to be exported and collated for comparative analysis of multiple laboratories
Use LAARC for
- Self-assessment of technical deficiencies
- Facilitating a standardized external assessment of AR laboratory networks
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