What are quality indicators in the laboratory?
What are quality indicators in the laboratory?
A quality indicator is defined as an objective measure evaluating critical health care domains as defined by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) (patient safety, effectiveness, equity, patient centeredness, timeliness, and efficiency).
How many indicators of quality are required by CLIA?
The 14 laboratory quality indicators identified are grouped according to the stage of the total laboratory testing process.
Why are indicators needed in laboratory?
In laboratory medicine the extra-analytical phases have the highest error rates. ISO 15189:2012 requires the establishment of quality indicators to monitor and evaluate laboratory performance throughout critical aspects of pre-examination, examination, and postexamination processes.
What are the quality indicators?
Quality Indicators (QIs) are standardized, evidence-based measures of health care quality that can be used with readily available hospital inpatient administrative data to measure and track clinical performance and outcomes.
Why do we need quality indicators?
Quality indicators aim to detect sub-optimal care either in structure, process or outcome, and can be used as a tool to guide the process of quality improvement in health care [5]. Furthermore, it provides information to target quality improvement initiatives.
What are quality indicators for laboratory medicine?
For laboratory medicine, quality indicators or performance measures may be developed to evaluate any stage of the total laboratory testing process, IOM health care domains, national health care priorities, and relevant testing environments (eg, hospitals and point-of-care settings).
Why is it important to measure the quality of laboratory services?
Laboratory testing and services have an important role in the provision of health care and in utilization and reimbursement. Assessing the quality of laboratory services using quality indicators or performance measures requires a systematic, transparent, and consistent approach to collecting and analyzing data.
What is quality indicator data collection?
Quality indicator data should be collected over time to identify, correct, and continuously monitor problems and improve performance and patient safety by identifying and implementing effective interventions and for the purpose of increased consistency and standardization of key processes among clinical laboratories.
What are the indicators identified in each stage of laboratory testing?
The indicators identified span the stages of the total laboratory testing process; however, they do not provide comprehensive coverage. The stages with the least coverage based on the number and nature of the identified indicators are result interpretation and ensuing action, analysis, and patient identification and specimen collection.
