Training and Competence Assessment; Quality Management Systems

The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute requests volunteers to carry out revisions to GP21, Training and Competence Assessment. The project description and specific qualifications needed are provided below: 

Description:
Increased examination by regulatory agencies, third-party payers, and the public has brought a renewed interest in quality, productivity, and competition to the delivery of healthcare services.  Fundamental to all quality systems is the development of training and competence assessment programs.

CLSI/NCCLS document GP21, Training and Competence Assessment, provides the necessary background information and processes to permit clinical services to develop training and competence assessment programs that will meet specific quality and regulatory objectives. To be effective, training must be built on a solid foundation of documented operations processes, and procedures with accompanying training documents. This guideline provides a structured approach for using documented processes, related procedures, training guides, and assessment tools for the development of training and competence assessment programs.

Specific Expertise/Work Experience Needed:

• Individuals with strong background in quality management systems.
• National and international representatives familiar with regulatory and accreditation requirements for training of personnel and monitoring of personnel competence.
• An international representative to assist with harmonization and global application of the guidelines.

The deadline to submit a nomination form, including a curriculum vitae and disclosure of interests form, is 1 October 2007. Send to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute, 940 West Valley Road, Suite 1400, Wayne, PA 19087.

The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute requests volunteers to carry out revisions to HS1, A Quality Management System Model for Health Care and GP26, Application of a Quality Management System Model for Laboratory Services. The project descriptions and specific qualifications needed are provided below: 

Description:
The best contribution a healthcare organization or service can make to improving operations and ensuring patient safety is to understand and document its processes, train people to be competent in following those processes, identify problematic processes, and improve processes where problems exist.

The foundation of a quality management system, with operations under control, provides a platform for continuous improvement and further transition up the quality hierarchy. If a healthcare organization or service implements the quality management system model, the ability to reduce or eliminate medical error, the likelihood of meeting customer requirements, the potential for successful governmental and accreditation assessments, and sustainable attainment of quality objectives are greatly enhanced:

CLSI/NCCLS document HS1, A Quality Management System Model for Health Care, describes a quality management system model that can be developed for any healthcare organization or individual service unit (e.g., laboratory, pharmacy, respiratory, imaging). The quality system essentials are universal and thus can be applied to any service’s operations, whether simple or complex. HS1 is intended for use by laboratory directors, managers, supervisors, the quality manager, and others responsible for implementing and maintaining the policies, processes, procedures, activities, and records that support the quality management activities within their institution.

CLSI/NCCLS document GP26, Application of a Quality Management System Model for Laboratory Services, introduces the clinical laboratory’s path of workflow—that is, the processes that transform a request for a clinical laboratory service through obtaining and transporting the sample, performing the examination, interpreting the results, and providing the patient’s laboratory examination report. GP26 intended for use in conjunction with HS1 when developing a quality management system for the clinical laboratory.

Specific Expertise/Work Experience Needed:

• Individuals with strong background in quality management systems.
• Laboratory directors, managers, supervisors, and the quality managers.
• Representatives from regulatory agencies and accrediting bodies familiar requirements related to quality management systems implementation.
• An international representative to assist with harmonization and global application of the guidelines.

The deadline to submit a nomination form, including a curriculum vitae and disclosure of interests form, is 1 October 2007. Send to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute, 940 West Valley Road, Suite 1400, Wayne, PA 19087.
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