Switzerland - Development of laboratory strengthening tools for the rest of the world

Title:Development of a guidance tool for the stepwise development of National Essential Diagnostic Lists

Code: D22-08

Date: March 2022 - June 2023

Location: Switzerland, The Netherlands, Zimbabwe, Senegal, Gambia

Client: Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND), the global alliance for diagnostics

Type of services:

• Design of guidance for the stepwise development and implementation of National Essential Diagnostics List
• Translation of the guidance into a stepwise e-tool
• Piloting of the stepwise e-tool and provision of mentorship in two pilot countries

Report(s):

Since the start in 2022 DATOS, in collaboration with Lucy A. Perrone of the University of British Columbia, has developed an e-tool for stepwise development and implementation of a National Essential Diagnostics List (NEDL) for FIND, the global alliance for diagnostics. The digital tool guides countries in a stepwise manner with developing and implementing an NEDL as a critical step towards universal health coverage, using the World Health Organization Essential Diagnostics List (EDL) and key reference documents for imaging services. As such, the tool will assist countries to optimize quality, capacity and accessibility of diagnostic services for the most prevalent diseases to the entire population.

After extensive peer review by experts from the field, the first draft version of the e-tool is now being piloted in Zimbabwe and The Gambia.

In October 2022 the e-tool was presented during a meeting in Senegal.

After this, DATOS conducted the first workshop for the National Essential Diagnostics Committee in Zimbabwe in October 2022, where the committee members were trained on the WHO EDL and the structure and use of the FIND NEDL e-tool, after which they developed an operational plan for developing their own national EDL.

From January to June 2023, DATOS mentored the National Essential Diagnostics Committee of The Gambia to develop the National Essential Diagnostics List using the the NEDL e-tool.

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Title: Questionnaire-based situational analysis to understand priority gaps in pre-service education and training programmes across laboratory networks in high TB-burden countries

Code: D21-09

Date: September - December 2021

Location: The Netherlands

Client: Global Laboratory Initiative (GLI)

Type of services:

• Design and send a questionnaire to assess the pre-service education to 33 NTRL managers in 30 high TB-burden countries.
• Analyze results and prepare a report with comsolidated findings and suggestions for the way forward.
  

Report(s):

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Title: Merge of the GLI tool with the LQSI tool

Code: D18-15

Date: June - July 2018

Location: Netherlands + Switzerland

Client: Global Laboratory Initiative (GLI)

Type of services:

Guiding the process of merging the GLI tool with the LQSI tool.

Report(s):

-

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Title: Development of advocacy materials on quality management and the LQSI tool

Code: D16-16

Date: August 2016 - June 2017

Location: Netherlands + Switzerland

Client: World Health Organization

Type of services:

Coordination, design and development of three advocacy movies on laboratory quality management and the WHO LQSI tool, published on the WHO Headquarters’ website.

Report(s):

[7 Oct 2016] DATOS is currently developing 3 short movies for the World Health Organization (WHO) to promote the implementation of laboratory quality management systems and the LQSI tool.

The LQSI tool is available in English, Spanish, French, Russian and Turkish, with Arabic following soon. The tool is used worldwide and users are very enthusiastic (see also our previous post), but more advocacy is needed.

At the request of WHO, DATOS is developing 3 short movies to promote the implementation of laboratory quality systems in general and the use of the LQSI tool in particular. These movies will be aimed at decision makers who have to decide and support the implementation of such quality management systems as well as at the staff who will be involved in the day to day implementation. Source: //blog.datos-advice.nl/#post10

[3 Mar 2017] At the request of the World Health Organization (WHO), DATOS and partners are developing 3 short movies to promote the implementation of laboratory quality systems using the LQSI tool. These movies will be aimed at decision makers who need to support the implementation of quality management systems and at laboratory staff who will be involved in the day to day implementation.

First Movie Published!

The first movie is now published on the website of the World Health Organization! In this movie laboratory professionals from all corners of the world tell about their experience with implementing quality management and with using the LQSI tool. Watch the movie!

Advocacy for Laboratory Strengthening

The LQSI tool is available in English, Spanish, French, Russian and Turkish, and Arabic is following soon. The tool is used worldwide and users are very enthusiastic, but more advocacy is needed.

Two other movies, about the value of laboratory quality management and about how the LQSI tool can be used will be finalized soon. Stay tuned! Source: //blog.datos-advice.nl/#post22

[27 Nov 2017] Last year, DATOS was asked by the World Health Organization to develop a tutorial on how to use the Laboratory Quality Stepwise Implementation tool, a tool that helps hundreds of laboratories worldwide on a daily basis with implementing a quality management system using a stepwise approach. The tutorial explains the structure of the LQSI tool and how laboratory professionals can use it to strengthen their laboratory. In addition to this tutorial, DATOS also developed two movies on why quality management matters in health laboratories, of which the first was recently published. Source: //blog.datos-advice.nl/#post41

[3 Apr 2018] In 2017 we've developed three movies about laboratory quality management for the World Health Organization (WHO) together with Roel Deden, Tabitha van den Berg and Myrthe Verweij. We're happy to announce that WHO has now published the last of the three movies!

The last movie was produced with Roel Deden and Tabitha van den Berg. This is an animated movie discussing the value of implementing a laboratory quality management system in a medical laboratory. Source: //blog.datos-advice.nl/#post49

Below an overview of the full 'LQSI series':

Movie 1 about the value of implementing a laboratory quality management system, developed for WHO by Roel Deden, Tabitha van den Berg and DATOS.

Movie 2 discussing why quality matters in health laboratories, developed for WHO by Tabitha van den Berg, Myrthe Verweij and DATOS.

Movie 3, a tutorial on how to use the WHO LQSI tool, developed for WHO by Roel Deden, Tabitha van den Berg and DATOS.

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Title: Translation of the WHO LQSI tool

Code: D16-08

Date: April 2016 - June 2017

Location: The Netherlands

Client: World Health Organization

Type of services:

Translation of the WHO LQSI tool into Russian, French, Spanish and Arabic.

Report(s):

[4 Oct 2016] The Laboratory Quality Stepwise Implementation (LQSI) tool of the World Health Organization is helping laboratories worldwide to implement a quality management system according to ISO15189. The tool in currently available on English, Russian, Turkish and French.

User quote:

"I think it is a great tool. When I first started as a Quality control manager I was 22 years old, and though I had theoretical knowledge and some experience I had no idea the challenges involved in implementing a quality management system in a medical laboratory [...] The tool in my case in particular was extremely helpful and provided me with a guide to take on such a project. We are constantly improving and I am very happy with our results."

The next 2 versions: Spanish and Arabic

We are currently working hard to upload the Spanish version of this extremely useful tool. We expect the Spanish LQSI tool to go live before the end of this month. In the coming months the Arabic version will become available as well! Source: //blog.datos-advice.nl/#post9

[27 Nov 2017] LQSI tool translated into Arabic! - More good news: the LQSI tool is now available in Arabic! After having translated the tool into Spanish, French, Russian, and Turkish, WHO has translated the tool into Arabic, increasing the accessibility to the tool for laboratory professionals in Arabic speaking countries. Source: //blog.datos-advice.nl/#post41

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