The Canadian Diagnostic Executive Forum will be hosted by In-Common Laboratories from October 24 - 25, 2022 at the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel, Toronto.

Download a copy of the 2023 Proficiency Testing Catalogue for complete survey details.

New in 2023

• Immunology – C-Reactive Protein (IMGY-CRP)
• Point-of-Care Testing – Coagulation – International Normalized Ratio (POCT-INR)
• Hematology – Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Test (HEMA-RDT)
• Endocrinology – Special (ENDO-B)
• Cytogenetics – Fluorescence in situ Hybridization (GENE-FSH) 
   

Order your 2023 proficiency testing surveys! Order deadline is Monday, December 5, 2022.

IQMH Proficiency Testing (PT) programs have been accredited since 2010 by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) to ISO 17043 Conformity assessment — General requirements for proficiency testing.

The assessment was held remotely from April 12^th–14^th with two A2LA assessors (audit team). The programs were thoroughly examined and assessed against 25 categories of technical and management requirements including design of schemes, evaluation of results, document control, confidentiality, and customer service.

On May 20, 2022, IQMH bid farewell to Wayne Ozanne, Manager IQMH Proficiency Testing, after seven years of dedication to continuous quality improvement. Wayne joined IQMH on April 30, 2015, as a Consultant Technologist (CT) to manage the Pathology Proficiency Testing (PT) program.

Payal Danak, Proficiency Testing Consultant Technologist, Pathology

Payal joined the IQMH Proficiency Testing team in May 2022 as a Consultant Technologist. She previously worked as a Senior Medical Laboratory Technologist at Dynacare Health Solutions. She completed her education with a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and a Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology.

After immigrating to Canada, she successfully registered with the College of Medical Laboratory Technologists of Ontario (CMLTO), and completed training courses in Histology, Transfusion Medicine, and Chemistry from The Mitchener Institute of Applied Science as part of her continuing education. Payal chose to work with IQMH to use and enhance her knowledge in Pathology and get to know peers from the other laboratories.

An IQMH Proficiency Testing poster titled Comparison of anti-D titre results by conventional tube technique using non-identical versus identical indicator cells through a retrospective review of IQMH surveys was presented at the CSTM Conference 2022 by Chang-Keun (CK) Lee, IQMH Proficiency Testing Consultant Technologist, with the support of the Transfusion Medicine Scientific Committee. 

A 2017 report from the Canadian Institute for Health Information and Choosing Wisely Canada showed that in many clinical areas, up to 30% of tests and treatments are potentially unnecessary. While clinicians ultimately make decisions about which tests and treatments to order based on the assessment of the patient symptoms, many of these decisions can often be influenced by hospital systems and processes that, if outdated, can nudge clinicians toward ordering tests and treatments that do not reflect evidence-based guidelines and practices. This can expose patients to avoidable harm, lengthen wait times, and consume precious hospital resources.

The week of April 10^th–16^th 2022, saw us all celebrate National Medical Laboratory Week in honour of medical laboratory professionals and the crucial work they do that is essential to health care.

IQMH shone a light on the excellence of the medical laboratory community by highlighting the indigo laboratory coat which serves as an iconic symbol of the noble profession.

World Accreditation Day, established by the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) and the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) is an initiative created to recognize and bring awareness to the value of accreditation.

May 2–8 2022 — Mental Health Week

The theme of this year's Mental Health Week was empathy. Empathy is a skill that anyone can learn. It is the capacity we share as human beings to step into each other's shoes. To understand where the other is coming from and what they are feeling. To listen hard and refuse to judge. It is also one way to reduce and resolve conflict.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to shortages in both workforce and supplies required by medical laboratories all over the world. This strain on our medical laboratories poses a challenge to provide continued quality care to patients.

On February 1, 2022, the Ontario Ministry of Health announced a new regulation (Reg.) 45/22 - General, made under the Laboratory and Specimen Collection Centre Licensing Act (LSCCLA). The new regulation will regulate the licensing and operations of “laboratory facilities”. O. Reg 45/22 revokes and replaces Reg. 682, (laboratories), and Reg. 683, (specimen collection centres) (SCC). The new regulation comes into effect on July 1, 2022, except for the reporting requirement related to the Ontario Laboratories Information System (OLIS), which will come into effect on January 1, 2023.

The key changes to the new regulation include:

Many of you have been engaged in some part of the laboratory accreditation cycle, whether it be preparing for an upcoming assessment, providing documents, records, objective evidence, investigating, or implementing opportunities for improvement. IQMH is no exception.

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 Dr. Kathy Chun, PhD, FCCMG, FACMG, who has served IQMH as a volunteer since 2004.