According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, cancer is the leading cause of death in Canada primarily due to aging and the growth of the population.

Black History Month provides an opportunity to acknowledge the contributions and achievements of Black communities in health care. This includes the countless contributions made by Black individuals within the health care sector, who have played a vital role in advancing medical research, improving patient care, and promoting health equity.

Did you know according to the Mental Health Commission of Canada, 500,000 Canadians are unable to work due to struggles with their mental health?

The IQMH Bone Marrow surveys allow IQMH to share a variety of interesting and educational cases, which promotes quality improvement through inter-laboratory comparison of participants’ responses and provides an external reference for a facility’s own quality assurance purposes.

At the 2023 Ontario Society for Clinical Chemists (OSCC) Annual Scientific Meeting, IQMH's Scientific Committee members, Danijela Konforte and Lei Fu, shared insights from the 2022 Chemistry patterns-of-practice survey, exploring current trends in pre-analytical and analytical practices related to alcohol, volatiles, and urine drug testing gathered from 197 licensed clinical laboratories across Ontario. The presentation delved into the changes and trends observed since IQMH’s 2011 Toxicology Guidelines prompting a meaningful roundtable discussion led by Consultant Technologist, Alex Kumaritakis.

The Institute for Quality Management in Healthcare, Proficiency Testing, is seeking pathologists skilled in the assessment of histological and immunohistochemical stains to serve as assessors for the Pathology Proficiency Testing Program.

In 2023, IQMH conducted a focused questionnaire investigating the landscape of Anti-Nuclear Antibody/Anti-Cell Antibody (ANA/ACA) testing across Canadian laboratories.

From October 23 –27, IQMH recognizes Canadian Patient Safety Week to inspire improvements in health care safety and quality. Healthcare Excellence Canada collaborates with patients and partners, and leads this annual campaign to advance improvements and changes to enable everyone in Canada to have safe, effective, and high-quality health care.

IQMH brings together experts in the field of laboratory medicine to elevate confidence in the healthcare system.

The IQMH Proficiency Testing Scientific Committees are composed of physicians, technologists and scientists who provide advice to IQMH regarding the fundamental design of Proficiency Testing surveys and ensure that clinically-relevant selection of challenges and appropriate performance evaluation are developed and implemented each year.

IQMH is grateful for the commitment and support of the medical laboratory community and appreciates all the volunteers who donate their time and valuable expertise to our programs.

It’s our privilege to recognize Michelle Sholzberg, MDCM, FRCPC, MSc. who has served IQMH as a volunteer since 2018.

September 17 marks the World Health Organization (WHO) international initiative, World Patient Safety Day, dedicated to raising awareness about patient safety and promoting actions to improve healthcare practices. This year's theme, "Engaging Patients for Patient Safety," emphasizes the crucial role patients play in ensuring their own safety, and highlights the importance of effective communication, collaboration, and empowerment in healthcare settings.