Guidelines to develop medical laboratory, Ministry of Public Health, to the quality systems
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Abstract
Background: Medical laboratory services are key components of public health systems as they are essential for detection, treatment, and prevention of disease of public health services. Therefore, accurate and reliable medical laboratory should be available in every country. Accreditation of medical laboratory is one mean to promote quality laboratory services.
Objective: To present the status of accredited medical laboratory, to investigate factors influencing level of quality systems assessment and to build guidelines for developing medical laboratory, Ministry of Public Health to the quality systems.
Material and methods: Ninety subjects were recruited by multi-stage sampling. The questionnaire was developed and measurement of the influencing of factors, validity and reliability testing, was done. Data analysis was presented in term of mean, standard deviation, percentage and multiple regression analysis.
Results: The results showed that 52.2% out of 90 medical laboratories were accredited. Factors influenced (R2) level of quality systems assessment (p<0.05) were (1) policy and resource for medical laboratory quality management system (61.6%); the most important factor was lacking of essential equipment (beta = -0.585) followed by quality management system review (beta=0.497) and human resource (full time equivalent; FTE) (beta=0.454), respectively, (2) accommodation and environmental conditions (55.7%); the most important factor was the evaluation of medical laboratory safety checklist (beta= 0.625) followed by space allocated for the performance (beta=0.254), (3) essential equipment (45.5%); the most important factor was the quality and ready to use of essential equipment (beta=0.468) followed by calibration of equipment (beta=0.372), (4) medical laboratory quality development network (26.0%); the regional internal audit was important (beta=0.518), (5) medical laboratory unit in remote area (24.5%); the distance between medical laboratory unit and provincial public health office was important (beta=-0.503), (6) medical laboratory personnel (21.3%); the continuing education and professional development was important (beta=0.471), and (7) personnel attitudes toward medical laboratory quality system (15.0%) was important (beta=0.400)
Conclusion: According to guidelines for developing of the medical laboratory, Ministry of Public Health to quality systems, the study indicated 3 main challenges. They were 1) policy and resource for medical laboratory quality management system, 2) accommodation and environmental conditions, and 3) essential equipment, respectively. In addition, based on the findings, 4 recommendations were proposed including 1) medical laboratory quality development network, 2) medical laboratory unit in remote area, 3) medical laboratory personnel, and 4) personnel attitudes toward medical laboratory quality system, respectively.
Bull Chiang Mai Assoc Med Sci 2016; 49(2): 227-235. Doi: 10.14456/jams.2016.21
Article Details
Personal views expressed by the contributors in their articles are not necessarily those of the Journal of Associated Medical Sciences, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University.
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