Could accreditation bodies facilitate the implementation of medical guidelines in laboratories?
Several studies have shown that recommendations related to how laboratory testing should be performed and results interpreted are limited in medical guidelines and that the uptake and implementation of the recommendations that are available need improvement. The EFLM/UEMS Working Group on Guidelines conducted a survey amongst the national societies for clinical chemistry in Europe regarding development of laboratory-related guidelines. The results showed that most countries have guidelines that are specifically related to laboratory testing; however, not all countries have a formal procedure for accepting such guidelines and few countries have guideline committees. Based on this, the EFLM/UEMS Working Group on Guidelines conclude that there is still room for improvement regarding these processes in Europe and raise the question if the accreditation bodies could be a facilitator for an improvement.
Laboratory of Clinical Biochemistry, Haukeland University Hospital, 5021 Bergen.
Kristin M
KM
Aakre
Department of Clinical Chemistry, Zuyderland Medical Centre, Heerlen, The.
Wytze P
WP
Oosterhuis
Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, St Mary's Hospital, Imperial College London.
Shivani
S
Misra
Department of Laboratory Medicine, AZ St-Jan Hospital, Bruges.
Michel R
MR
Langlois
Laboratoire de Biologie Polyvalente, Hôpital de la Chartreuse, Villefranche-de-Rouergue.
Watine
W
Joseph
Department of Clinical Chemistry, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin.
Patrick J
PJ
Twomey
Blood Sciences, Leeds General Infirmary, Leeds.
Julian H
JH
Barth
D000068:Accreditation; D007753:Laboratories / Q000592:standards*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
ISO standard; accreditation; clinical chemistry; clinical practice; laboratory medicine; national societies