NHH Lab aces Accreditation Canada Diagnostics assessment
30-11-2024 1:15 p.m.
Cobourg
The laboratory at Northumberland Hills Hospital is required to undergo a rigourous Accreditation Canada Diagnostics assessment every four years. They did pretty well in 2020 with 92% but, this year, scored a 99%
The laboratory at Northumberland Hills Hospital has aced its recent Accreditation Canada Diagnostics assessment with a 99% score.
This is an improvement on their 92% score in their last assessment in 2020, and a strong complement to the hospital's own Accreditation with Exemplary Standing awarded during an organization-wide accreditation in 2022.
Mandated by Ontario's Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and operated by Accreditation Canada, this assessment is required for all licensed medical laboratories in the province, as well as being a condition of maintaining the hospital lab's license.
Conducted every four years, the accreditation process is a three-day assessment in which assessors report to the lab to go through applicable requirements. Their formal report is issued, with an action plan to address any non-conformances required within 90 days. Once Accreditation Canada Diagnostics has the action plan, a panel determines whether the lab meets the criteria for an accreditation certificate.
The NHH lab was assessed against 423 requirements, with several hundred sub-requirements per discipline (including quality, management, and health and safety requirements).
“Accreditation is a rigourous process that ensures we are held to the same standards as every other laboratory in Canada,” Medical Director of Laboratory Services Dr. Katie O'Reilly said in the announcement.
“Every assessment that is measured during accreditation allows our team to review current processes, while making sure we not only meet but exceed the high quality of patient care and standards set by our Laboratory Department. This exceptional result is a testament to the commitment and dedication of our lab team.”
President and Chief Executive Officer Susan Walsh said NHH is incredibly proud of the team for this remarkable showing.
“Our lab committed themselves to learning from our 2020 accreditation results and found ways to improve and, in doing so, achieve a near-perfect score during this most recent assessment,” Walsh added.
“The intensive preparation process leading up to accreditation helped our team embrace a culture of continuous quality improvement and an internal audit system that has set the department up for future success.”
The NHH Laboratory consists of several disciplines, including Transfusion Medicine, Hematology Chemistry and Point-of-Care, each with its own set of requirements.
The lab employs 25 medical laboratory technologists, 25 medical laboratory technicians one charge medical laboratory technologist, one transfusion safety officer, one laboratory medical director, one transfusion medicine physician and two laboratory clerical staff (one manager and one program director). Operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, they perform a wide range of tests for the purpose of diagnosis and treatment.
