Practical approaches to improve laboratory performance and transfusion safety

Area of Science:

• Laboratory Medicine
• Healthcare Quality Management

Background:

• Defining laboratory quality is crucial for reliable diagnostic services.
• Basic process control systems are fundamental for achieving consistent laboratory operations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review elements of process control in laboratories.
• To offer practical suggestions for enhancing laboratory quality.
• To explore extending quality control beyond internal laboratory operations.

Main Methods:

• Review of process control elements.
• Development of practical suggestions for laboratory procedures, training, competency assessment, equipment maintenance, self-assessment, and process improvement.
• Conceptual expansion of quality control to patient interaction and multidisciplinary care.

Main Results:

• Implementation of process control systems increases the likelihood of performing tasks correctly.
• Practical strategies are provided for organizing procedures, training, competency, equipment, and quality improvement activities.
• Extending quality control to patient interactions and multidisciplinary care models can further improve patient care.

Conclusions:

• Basic process control is essential for laboratory reliability.
• Quality in healthcare requires extending process control to patient interactions and coordinated multidisciplinary care.
• A multidisciplinary model of coordinated care is key to expanding the concept of quality.