Tag: ILAC

ISO 15189:2022 FOR MEDICAL LABS PUBLISHED

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ISO 15189:2022 – Medical laboratories — Requirements for quality and competence

This document specifies requirements for quality and competence in medical laboratories.

This document is applicable to medical laboratories in developing their management systems and assessing their competence. It is also applicable for confirming or recognizing the competence of medical laboratories by laboratory users, regulatory authorities and accreditation bodies.

This document is also applicable to point-of-care testing (POCT).

NOTE : International, national, or regional regulations or requirements can also apply to specific topics covered in this document.

This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 212, Clinical laboratory testing and in vitro diagnostic test systems, in collaboration with the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) Technical Committee CEN/TC 140, In vitro diagnostic medical devices, in accordance with the Agreement on technical cooperation between ISO and CEN (Vienna Agreement).

This fourth edition cancels and replaces the third edition (ISO 15189:2012), which has been technically revised. It also replaces ISO 22870:2016.

The main changes are as follows:

  • Alignment with ISO/IEC 17025:2017 resulted in the management requirements now appearing at the end of the document;
  • Requirements for point-of-care testing (POCT), previously in ISO 22870, have been incorporated;
  • Increased emphasis on risk management.

Introduction

The objective of this document is to promote the welfare of patients and satisfaction of laboratory users through confidence in the quality and competence of medical laboratories.

This document contains requirements for the medical laboratory to plan and implement actions to address risks and opportunities for improvement. Benefits of this approach include: increasing the effectiveness of the management system, decreasing probability of invalid results, and reducing potential harm to patients, laboratory personnel, the public and the environment.

The requirements for risk management are aligned with the principles of ISO 22367.

The requirements for laboratory safety are aligned with the principles of ISO 15190.

The requirements for sample collection and transport are aligned with ISO 20658.1

This document contains the requirements for point-of-care testing (POCT) and supersedes ISO 22870, which will be withdrawn upon publication of this document.

The format of this document is based on ISO/IEC 17025:2017.

The medical laboratory is essential to patient care; activities are provided within an ethical and governance framework, that recognizes the obligations of healthcare providers to the patient. These activities are undertaken in a timely manner to meet the needs of all patients and the personnel responsible for the care of those patients. Activities include arrangements for examination requests, patient preparation, patient identification, collection of samples, transportation, processing of patient samples, selection of examinations that are fit for intended use, examination of samples, sample storage, as well as subsequent interpretation, result reporting and advice to laboratory users. This may also include the provision of results to the patient, arrangements for urgent testing and the notification of critical results.

While this document is intended for use throughout the currently recognized medical laboratory disciplines, it can effectively be applied to other healthcare services, such as diagnostic imaging, respiratory therapy, physiological sciences, blood banks and transfusion services.

The use of this document facilitates cooperation between medical laboratories and other healthcare services, assists in the exchange of information, and in the harmonization of methods and procedures.

The comparability of patient examination results between medical laboratories, regardless of city or country, is facilitated when medical laboratories conform to this document.

When a laboratory seeks accreditation, it should select an accreditation body which operates in accordance with ISO/IEC 17011, and which takes into account the particular requirements of medical laboratories.

Comparisons between this document, ISO 9001:2015 and ISO/IEC 17025:2017 are in Annex B. The comparison of ISO 15189:2012 to ISO 15189:2022 (this document) is in Annex C.

Source : https://www.iso.org/standard/76677.html

Transition Timeline Announcement

ILAC Announcement – 8th

ISO 15189:2022 Medical Laboratories – Requirements for quality and competence has now been published.

Further a resolution was endorsed at the ILAC General Assembly to allow a 3-year implementation period from the date of publication of this revised standard (ie now December 2025) as shown below:

ILAC Resolution GA 26.08

As the revised version of ISO 15189 is scheduled for publication in 2022 or early 2023, the General Assembly endorses the recommendation of the AIC that a transition period of 3 years from the date of publication be adopted. 

Noting that the requirements for Point of Care Testing (POCT) contained in ISO 22870:2016 have been incorporated into the revised ISO 15189, ISO 22870:2016 in conjunction with ISO15189:2012 will still be recognised as a Level 4 standard for POCT for the duration of the transition period. 

At the end of the transition period, accreditation of a medical laboratory to ISO 15189:2012 and accreditation of POCT to ISO 22870:2016 in conjunction with ISO15189:2012 will not be recognised under the ILAC Arrangement.

The implementation of this transition period for ISO 15189:2022 by the signatories to the ILAC MRA for the accreditation of medical laboratories will be monitored by the ILAC AMC to ensure the deadline is achieved. The process used by the AMC to monitor this implementation of the revised standard will be similar to that used during the implementation of ISO/IEC 17025:2017

Posted on 08th December 2022

Source :https://ilac.org/latest_ilac_news/iso-151892022-for-medical-labs-published/

Transition Timeline Announcement of NABL

NABL has released transition announcement for Accredited Medical Testing Labs in the country

Click here to read Transition Announcement

Laboratory Director Designation – ISO 15189 Standard Requirement

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Designation of Lab Director, a QMS Specification, becoming a HR Issue in the Laboratory

Chithambaranathan Sivasubramonian, Associate Consultant

nathan@valueadded.in

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Medical Laboratories & the need to create a dedicated Laboratory Director Post / Designation to satisfy QMS requirement

Isn’t this becoming a HR issue

A Laboratory Professional from a client organization reached out to us seeking clarification on Lab Director’s role in Accreditation process. She was asked by the Management to redesignate Lab Director as Lab head in Accreditation documents and she wanted to know if its ok to do so as Accreditation norm is asking for Lab Director designation.

This has triggered an internal discussion at office and we were debating about the need to create / insist on Lab Director’s designation / role in labs seeking accreditation.

Medical Labs were obtaining National / International Certifications, Accreditations all these years and each program has its own spec. However, the global trend in the last few years has shifted towards introducing Minimum Standards for Medical Labs and many countries have rolled out the program. India too has rolled out the Minimum Stds for Labs as Regulatory spec under Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010.

Let’s take the case of a Lab appointing a Lab Director as an accreditation norm and see what is listed out by various National , International Stds for this requirement.

We have the following popular programs for Medical Labs running in our country :

  • Minimum Standards mandated under CEA. Both NABL, QAI offer Certification programs under this scheme in the country.
  • ISO 9001:2015 – Quality Management Systems Certification Program
  • Med Labs Certification Programs offered by NABH
  • Med Labs Accreditation Programs offered by NABL, CAP and QAI

Minimum Standards has mandated the Minimum qualification of Technical Head of Laboratory or Specialist or Authorized Signatories. Clearly defined spec on who should act as Technical head is mentioned. So any Certification program offered by NABL, QAI or any other body has to have the same spec in their Certification, Accreditation criteria as compliance to Minimum Standards is a Regulatory requirement.

ISO 9001:2015 Standard Clause 7 Support talks in general about Personnel competency, training needs etc. No other specification is listed as it’s a generic QMS Standard applicable for all businesses.

NABH Essential Standards for Medical Laboratories program talks about Personnel and its clearly mentioned about the Responsibility of Quality Manager & Technical Manager. But with respect to overall responsibility of the Laboratory Head, NABH Essential Standard for Medical Laboratories hasn’t mentioned anything much. So overall responsibility of Lab Head s not clear enough under this program.   

QAI’s Recognition for Medical Laboratory Program, in Human Resources section – MBBS Doctor or MSc Pathology/Medical Microbiology/Medical Biochemistry are recognized qualification for Authorized Signatory. But there is no evidence of defining the overall responsibility of the laboratory head and the same isn’t clear in the QAI Recognition of Medical Laboratory Program either.      

NABL’s Med Lab Accreditation Program mentions that Laboratory Director/ Head of Laboratory/ Technical Head (howsoever named), shall have the overall responsibility of Operations of the laboratory. Hence Lab Director’s Designation / Role is not mandatory. This is thee specific criteria document on NABL which is NABL 112. But the Standard for this program is ISO 15189:2012 which talks about the need to designate Laboratory Director.

CAP’s Laboratory Accreditation Program has a mandatory specification for Lab Director’s Designation and Role.

When 80-90% of the Labs in the country belong to Small labs category, can all qualify for Certifications, Accreditations. An ideal case is for Small labs to opt for Minimum Standards as 1st step towards the Quality journey before migrating to Certifications, Accreditations Programs. Compliance to Min Stds is also mandatory as it’s a Regulatory requirement.

My Thoughts as a Lab QMS Consultant :

I’m going back to the question asked by the Lab Professional whether its mandatory to have Lab Director Role and Designation in the Accredited Lab.

As a Consultant in healthcare industry, I would say it’s a debatable topic. The requirement depends on the National, International Standards followed by the Med Labs.

I have listed out the personnel spec given by each Standard for Med Labs. Lab Director’s Designation is a hierarchy in the organogram and can’t be maintained by all Labs. Labs can specify their own designations as listed in the NABL 112 Criteria OR criteria.

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