Laboratory services are vital elements of every health care system, contributing significantly to diagnostic efforts that improve health care and public health security. Given their critical role in society, it is crucial that these services adhere to the highest quality standards.

From July 31 to August 1, 2024, a comprehensive Training Workshop on ISO 15189:2022 was conducted to enhance the quality and competence of clinical laboratories across the Philippines. Held at the Ramada Manila Central Hotel, this workshop was a significant initiative by the Department of Health (DOH) and the DTI-Philippine Accreditation Bureau (PAB) to align medical laboratories with international standards.

The activity was spearheaded by the Department of Health’s Office for Health Laboratories (DOH-OHL), which leads the implementation of the Memorandum of Agreement between the DOH and the DTI-PAB. Under this agreement, laboratories must conform to relevant standards and be accredited by DTI-PAB. The orientation and gap analysis activities conducted by OHL are designed to provide guidance on ISO 15189 and identify gaps as an initial step toward accreditation. The event brought together forty DOH laboratories from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, selected for their comprehensive range of services, to participate in this training.

Mr. Marlon A. Macadamia, RCh, MA, from PAB, served as the resource speaker for the workshop. He tailored the training to address the specific needs of DOH clinical laboratories, using relevant scenarios typically encountered in laboratory settings. The course covered the principles of implementing and maintaining the standard, familiarized participants with the requirements and audit clauses of the standard, and included practical exercises to bolster their learning and application of these principles. Additionally, the workshop aimed to assess participants’ potential to become future assessors or technical experts.

Mr. Macadamia also highlighted the importance of accreditation, noting that the Philippines currently lags behind other ASEAN nations in the number of accredited medical laboratories. This initiative is a significant step toward closing that gap. He likewise promoted PAB’s accredited conformity assessment bodies, emphasizing the benefits of utilizing accredited calibration bodies for necessary laboratory services.

Beyond focusing on the standard, the workshop provided a valuable platform for sharing best practices in the laboratory sector. Seasoned pathologists and medical technologists in attendance shared their practical experiences and showed a keen interest in implementing this standard to further enhance their laboratory practices.

Here’s how to avail of training from PAB:

The Philippine Accreditation Bureau’s Promotion and Documentation Division (PDD) accepts training requests, provided they are not one-on-one sessions to prevent any perception of consultancy and avoid potential conflicts of interest. Accordingly, government or private organizations can organize a training workshop for various laboratories or certification bodies at a single venue with PAB’s expertise.

For training and orientation requests or for general inquiries, please email the Promotion and Documentation Division at pab@dti.gov.ph or call them at +632 8895-3995.

Release Date: 07 August 2024.

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