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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 12th–14th 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.
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.
Did you know that Ontario medical professionals have processed and analyzed over 13 million COVID-19 tests, and complete over 244.8 million laboratory tests annually for other conditions?
The Canadian Cancer Society has found that 43% of Canadian women and 45% of Canadian men will develop cancer during their lifetime, with the most common diagnosis being breast cancer for women, and prostate cancer in men.
In 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic continued to cause global, social, and economic disruption, reaching unprecedented peaks in daily case numbers, hospital admissions, and ICU bed occupancy by the end of the summer. This was due not only to COVID-19 wild-type, but also new variants of concern. These peaks were followed by a sharp decline after vulnerable populations, healthcare workers, and the general public began receiving much-anticipated vaccines.
Public Health Ontario (PHO) and the Institute for Quality Management in Healthcare (IQMH) are pleased to present the results from their 2019 surveys of antimicrobial resistance in common hospital pathogens in Ontario. The surveys covered both rates of infection and infection control programs in place at Ontario hospitals and laboratories.
IQMH relies on health care experts such as physicians, scientists and medical laboratory technologists to provide technical and clinical advice as members of the Proficiency Testing (PT) Scientific Committees. They support PT Consultant Technologists in the fundamental design of proficiency testing surveys, ensure challenges are clinically-relevant and appropriate performance evaluation is developed and implemented each year.
A requirement of The College ofMedical Laboratory Technologists of Ontario (CMLTO) Quality Assurance Program states that practicing medical laboratory technologists (MLTs) must complete 30 hours of professional development in three different activity types. Continuing education or professional development hours allow members to maintain and enhance their knowledge in the ever-changing environment of medical laboratory science, an important component for improving their professional practice as self-regulated healthcare professionals.
The Institute for Quality Management in Healthcare, Proficiency Testing is seeking pathologists and medical laboratory technologists skilled in the assessment of histological and immunohistochemical stains to serve as assessors for the Pathology Proficiency Testing Program.
IQMH is seeking volunteers to sit on its Proficiency Testing Scientific Committee(s), effective January 1, 2022. Membership on committees consists of a three-year term of office, renewable once. Committees meet an average of four times a year for half-day or full-day meetings.
IQMH Proficiency Testing Programs are accredited by The American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) in accordance with the recognized International Standard ISO/IEC 17043:2010 Conformity assessment — General requirements for proficiency testing (Certificate Number: 3059.01).
Institute for Quality Management in Healthcare
1500–393 University Avenue Toronto, Ontario M5G 1E6 Canada
Phone: 416-323-9540 Toll-free: 1-877-323-9540 Fax: 416-323-9324
Email: info@iqmh.org
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