Medical laboratory accreditation: a Hong Kong perspective

This is an account of the accreditation of the Surgical Pathology, Cytopathology, Autopsy Service, Haematology, Blood Bank, Bone Marrow Transplant and Electronmicroscopy Laboratories of the Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, the Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, SAR, China, the first of their category to be accredited in the Special Administrative Region. The Australian-based National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) used standards formulated by the National Pathology Accreditation Advisory Council (NPAAC) to measure the performance of the laboratory sections and to determine whether the laboratory service was of a sufficient standard to be granted accreditation. Some practices dating back to the colonial period required attention, while eliciting the support of staff at all levels was essential for achieving accreditation. Some cultural factors had to be taken into account when implementing changes. Finally, successful accreditation has provided the impetus for other Hong Kong laboratories to become accredited and this will have a beneficial flow-on effect for the entire region.