Reaches milestone amid rapid national expansion initiative
September 8, 2023: Sri Lanka’s largest primary healthcare chain MediHelp Hospitals recently reached a milestone, by its main laboratory being recognised with the globally acclaimed ISO 15189 Medical Laboratory Accreditation.
This timely accreditation received from the Sri Lanka Accreditation Board (SLAB) comes alongside MediHelp Hospital chain’s accelerated geographical expansion, as the organisation emphasises on constantly improving and ensuring a higher quality of healthcare services and customer experience while continuing to expand its footprint around the country.
ISO 15189 accreditation is a globally recognized standard for medical laboratories, which provides a framework for ensuring the quality and competence of laboratory services and focuses on the technical and management requirements necessary to deliver accurate and reliable results.
The accreditation process involves a thorough assessment of the laboratory’s quality management system, technical competence, and adherence to standard operating procedures. The assessment was conducted by an independent accreditation body appointed by the SLAB, which carefully evaluated the laboratory’s compliance with the ISO 15189 requirements.
Commenting on the accreditation, MediHelp Hospitals Chains’ Laboratory Director Sunanda Wijesiriwardana noted that the “ISO 1589:2022 accreditation is a testimony and a reassurance of the trust placed by thousands of patients and doctors on MediHelp Hospitals laboratory service. I am thankful to the entire team who tirelessly work hard to improve the quality amidst a major expansion drive of the chain. Change management is the key element in sustaining a culture of quality within MediHelp Hospitals laboratory chain.”
“We continuously work hard on quality improvement especially in designing system and process changes that lead to operational improvements which finally impacts in the precision and accuracy of the tests we perform as well as the efficiency and standard of the service. We ensure that concepts of quality are ingrained in our organizational values, goals, practices, and processes, after all quality is a journey, not a destination,” she added.
Apart from providing assurance to patients, healthcare providers, and regulatory bodies that the laboratory is capable of producing accurate and reliable results enhancing trust and confidence in the laboratory’s services, the accreditation also promotes continuous improvement within the laboratory. The standard requires laboratories to regularly monitor and evaluate their processes, implement corrective actions, and strive for ongoing improvement. This leads to enhanced efficiency, reduced errors, and increased customer satisfaction.
Further, Medihelp Hospitals Chain’s Chief Operating Officer Nishantha Jayamanne noted that “quality is one of the key success factors especially in healthcare. As a chain of hospitals embarked on an ambitious expansion drive, we have realized the importance of improving the quality and worked towards introducing international standards and global best practices simultaneously. Obtaining this international accreditation signifies MediHelp Hospitals’ commitment to provide a high-quality service using advanced technology, quality reagents and efficient processes on par with any leading local or international diagnostic laboratory.
This achievement proves the efforts and commitment of MediHelp Hospitals to stand out and stand strong to give the best of the best towards its stakeholders across the board.
