Document Detail


The future of hospital laboratories. Position statement from the Royal Belgian Society of Clinical Chemistry (RBSCC).
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  19663541     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
To face the economic pressures arising from the current socio-economic conjuncture, hospital laboratories are endangered by an increasing trend towards the outsourcing of clinical laboratory tests to external (mega-) laboratories. This should allow hospitals to meet their economic requirements, but with an increased risk of loss of medical quality and, mid- to long-term, loss of cost effectiveness of healthcare at the national level. To anticipate current developments (economical and technological) that inevitably will affect the future of laboratory medicine, hospital laboratories should be proactive and enhance efficiency, reduce costs by consolidation, integrate into regional networks, and form alliances or partnerships. To create additional value, the core competency of laboratory professionals must be refocused to provide medical knowledge services (consultative support to clinicians) related to in vitro diagnostic testing. To integrate cost-efficiency with medical quality, implementation of a matricial organization - operational vs. biomedical level - could be an interesting approach. This integrated structure should create total quality of laboratory testing, managing the entire medical diagnostic cycle from the pre-preanalytical to post-postanalytical phase.
Authors:
Michel R Langlois; Pierre Wallemacq
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Clinical chemistry and laboratory medicine : CCLM / FESCC     Volume:  47     ISSN:  1434-6621     ISO Abbreviation:  Clin. Chem. Lab. Med.     Publication Date:  2009  
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2009-10-06     Completed Date:  2009-12-08     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  9806306     Medline TA:  Clin Chem Lab Med     Country:  Germany    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  1195-201     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Chemistry, AZ St. Jan Hospital, Bruges, Belgium. michel.langlois@azbrugge.be
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Belgium
Chemistry, Clinical*
Disease Management
Economics, Medical
Education, Medical
Humans
Laboratories, Hospital / economics,  trends*
Medicine / trends
Patients
Research
Safety
Societies, Scientific*

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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