Improving quality in national reference laboratories: The role of SLMTA and mentorship

Improving quality in national reference laboratories: The role of SLMTA and mentorship

Blog Article

Background: The Nigerian Institute of Medical Research houses two reference Pillow Block Bearing Kit laboratories: the virology and tuberculosis laboratories.Both were enrolled in the Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA) programme.Objective: To describe the impact of SLMTA and discuss factors affecting the results, with an emphasis on mentorship.Methods: The SLMTA programme was implemented from April 2010 through November 2012.Participants attended three workshops and executed quality improvement projects; laboratory auditors evaluated performance using a standard checklist.

The virology laboratory did not receive mentorship; however, the tuberculosis laboratory had an international mentor who visited the laboratory four times during the programme, spending two to four weeks embedded within the laboratory during each visit.Results: There was an overall improvement in the performance of both laboratories, with the virology laboratory increasing 13% (from 80% at baseline to 93% at exit audit) and the tuberculosis laboratory increasing 29% (from 66% to 95%).These scores were maintained nine months later at Beet Formulas the surveillance audit.Conclusion: The SLMTA programme resulted in improved and sustained quality management performance for both laboratories.Mentoring was a possible factor in the substantial improvement made by the tuberculosis laboratory and should be considered in order to augment the training received from the SLMTA workshops.