Antonia Mourtzikou

An Update On Best Practices and Regulatory Requirements for the Improvement of Clinical Laboratory Services through Quality

The aim of this study is to emphasize the need for accurate, relevant and reliable results provided by the clinical laboratories, in order to achieve the best patient outcomes. The improvement of clinical laboratory services through quality is a continuous process, which includes constant changes and new regulatory requirements. Further efforts must be made to raise the awareness of all health personnel involved in the total testing process and highlight the importance of quality indicator implementation for improving the quality of laboratory services and patient safety. Laboratories and physicians must audit, update and continuously e their critical result management practices in order to provide safe and reliable care to patients. Moreover, implementation of six-sigma, a state-of-the-art quality management strategy, can further improve laboratory quality, by identifying biased or imprecise assays, so that appropriate quality monitoring strategies can be used. Harmonization of the total testing process, as a process of recognizing, understanding, and explaining differences and taking steps to achieve uniformity of results is of utmost importance for the use of data obtained from different laboratories interchangeably.

ISO 9001 2008 & CEN/TS 15224 2005: The Contribution of Continuous Medical Education

The need to implement a Quality Management System in health sector arises from the rising interest for quality in health services by patients, health personnel and society. ISO 9001:2008 and CEN/TS 15224: 2005 apply to health services and emphasize on quality. Their basic principles are customer focus, leadership, involvement of all stakeholders, task-based approach, cooperation of all sectors for quality through information, mutually beneficial relationship with suppliers, continuous improvement, and European harmonization. The implementation of quality management systems in health services is complex due to special characteristics. Moreover, human resources include many different specialties and management/support staff, dedicated and essential to effective health system functioning. Continuing medical education and Continuing Professional Development are important components of professional development and competence, enabling continuous ongoing instruction of knowledge and skills for health professionals. Their outcomes and effects must always be measured and evaluated.