World Health Organization launches free LQSI tool to support laboratory strengthening worldwide

This month the World Health Organization (WHO) has launched the LQSI tool: the Laboratory Quality Stepwise Implementation tool. This online application assists medical laboratories with the implementation of a quality management system that complies with the ISO 15189 quality standard for medical laboratories. The LQSI tool was developed for the WHO by the Royal Tropical Institute (KIT) Biomedical Research unit in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The tool is available free of charge at the website of the WHO.

Project coordinator Dr. Linda Oskam: It is expected that the LQSI tool will have a big positive impact on the quality, efficiency and cost-effectiveness of laboratory services. This way, thanks to WHO, we can make a beautiful contribution to evidence-based diagnosis and treatment of millions of patients worldwide.

Neglect of medical laboratories

Laboratory services are essential for diagnosis of most diseases and are pivotal in surveillance of disease outbreaks. Nevertheless, laboratories have long been neglected by health systems in many low- and middle-income countries. One of the best methods for improving quality of laboratory services is implementing a quality management system that complies with the requirements of the international quality standard for medical laboratories, ISO 15189. With complete ISO 15189 compliance a laboratory can apply for accreditation, an international sign of quality and competence.

From standard to practice

Unfortunately, implementation of a quality management system is often a lengthy, resource- and effort-intensive process. Laboratories are faced with difficulties in translating the ISO 15189 requirements into practice as they often do not have a clear idea about the implementation process. The LQSI tool solves this problem. The tool contains a roadmap with a stepwise plan of activities. It provides background information on quality management concepts and procedures and it also provides templates and examples of documents often needed in quality management. This enables laboratories to effectively overcome obstacles and problems. It also prevents that every laboratory has to reinvent the wheel in designing forms and documents.

For further details please refer to the news item on the website of KIT Biomedical
Research (http://www.kit.nl/kit/WHO-LQSI-tool) and the Laboratory Strengthening
webpages (http://www.kit.nl/kit/laboratory-strengthening).

Editor’s note

For more information: Tjeerd Datema, t.datema@kit.nl, tel. +31 (0)20 5665466
The department of communication can be reached at +31 (0)20 5688 514.
The WHO LQSI tool is available at: http://www.who.int/ihr/lyon/hls_lqsi/en/index.html