The 3rd GCC Laboratory Proficiency Conference is organized as part of the strategic orientations of the GCC Standardization Organization (GSO) for the development of the standardization and quality infrastructure, thereby contributing to the development of commerce and industry and to the support of national economy in the GCC member states. Since the field of proficiency testing is newly introduced in the GCC member states and as the infrastructure of laboratories has not yet taken the shape of national or regional organizations representing the laboratories and reflecting their requirements, GSO is in need of meeting with a considerable group of laboratories to explore and prioritize GCC member states’ requirements in terms of the fields which must top the list of the fields to be developed and upgraded. Based on the study conducted by GSO during 2011 on the status of proficiency testing activities in the member states which shown that the laboratories operating in the member states are in need of a unified data center on proficiency testing activities, GSO organized two conferences in 2013 and 2014 on the subject. The conferences scored high rates of success in terms of the selected scientific material, quality of speakers and the targeted audience. Accordingly, GSO conceptualization of the method of coordinating and upgrading the activity of proficiency tests in the GCC member states included a recommendation on the organization of annual training courses and awareness symposia by the GSO on the fields of proficiency tests. This year’s Conference will be held in Dubai during two days the 24th and 25th of March 2015, and will coincide with the annual Analytical Industry exhibition ARABLAB which will be held in Dubai during the period 23 – 26 March 2015.

1. Wang-wah WONG
Executive Administrator
Hong Kong Accreditation Service
1

2. 2
Health and Welfare Bureau
“Ensure the development and maintenance of a
framework of quality assurance to support the
consistent delivery of quality health services based
on knowledge and centred on patients”
(2001 Policy Address)

3. 3
Expansion of the Hong Kong Laboratory Accreditation Scheme
(under Hong Kong Accreditation Service) to enhance the quality of
clinical pathology service.

4. 4
SIGNING OF A MEMORANDUM OFSIGNING OF A MEMORANDUM OF
UNDERSTANDING WITH HONG KONG COLLEGEUNDERSTANDING WITH HONG KONG COLLEGE
OF PATHOLOGISTS (HKCPATH)OF PATHOLOGISTS (HKCPATH)

5. • to provide professional input to the accreditation
process;
• to provide advice on the technical criteria for
accreditation; and
• to provide up-dates on relevant technical advances
in medical laboratory practice.
5
STRONG SUPPORT FROMSTRONG SUPPORT FROM
HKCPATHHKCPATH

6. • to nominate a representative to HKAS to sit on the
Accreditation Advisory Board and this person will
chair the Working Party on Medical Testing
• to serve as the co-organiser or supporting
organisation for various seminars HKAS organised
6

7. 7

8. 8
Publishing of ISO
15189:2012
2012
10
20
30
MILESTONESMILESTONES

9. 9
NUMBER OF LABORATORIES ACCREDITEDNUMBER OF LABORATORIES ACCREDITED

10. 10
Nature of
organisations
Number of
organisations
Number accredited
Hospitals under
Hospital Authority
19 Hospitals HKAS 16
NATA 3
CAP 1 *
Laboratories under
Department of Health
6 Divisions/Services HKAS 6
Private hospitals 11 Hospitals HKAS 3
(include 4 laboratories)
NATA 1
Commercial
laboratories (include
independent laboratories
operating in hospitals)
> 200 medical
laboratories (include collection
centres, medical testing and X-ray
laboratories)
HKAS 16
(include 23 medical testing
laboratories and 31 collection
centres)
* One hospital got both CAP and HKAS accreditation

11. 11

12. 12
2004-2006
40 laboratory assessments
2004-2006
40 laboratory assessments
2009
61 laboratory assessments
2009
61 laboratory assessments

13. Initial Assessment Second Reassessment
Grading Number NC per lab Grading Number NC per lab
S 76 3.2 S 18 0.7
M 295 10.4 M 151 5.9
R 371 13.5 R 169 6.6
S: significant non-conformity
M: minor non-conformity
R: recommendation
Bella Ho, Eric Ho. The most common nonconformities encountered during the assessments of medical
laboratories in Hong Kong using ISO 15189 as accreditation criteria. Biochemia Medica 2012;22(2):247-57.
13
PERFORMANCE COMPARISON OF 27PERFORMANCE COMPARISON OF 27
LABORATORIES IN THEIR INITIALLABORATORIES IN THEIR INITIAL
ASSESSMENTS AND IN THEIR SECONDASSESSMENTS AND IN THEIR SECOND
REASSESSMENTSREASSESSMENTS

14. 14
PERFORMANCE OF ACCREDITED MEDICALPERFORMANCE OF ACCREDITED MEDICAL
TESTING LABORATORIES IN PROFICIENCYTESTING LABORATORIES IN PROFICIENCY
TESTING / EQAPTESTING / EQAP

15. 15
 Before 2004 – No local full time Bachelor and only one
Master course in Medical Science offered by HKU – others are
top-up overseas Master courses or distant learning courses
 In 2004 – First full time Bachelor course offered by HK
Polytechnic University
 Thereafter– Apart from the HKU MMedSc course, relevant
Master courses are also available from HKPoly U, and CUHK
 Number of medical technologists eligible to be Laboratory
Directors has increased
MORE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIESMORE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

16. 16

17. Potential assessors taking the post-course assessment after
the medical assessor training course
17

18. Total: 156 technical assessors
18
As of January 2015

19. 19

20.  Participate in ISO TC212 which is responsible for drafting ISO 15189
 Provide training on the implementation of ISO 15189 to Chinese
Center for Disease Control and Prevention and medical testing
professionals in Macau
 Regular exchange of experience with CNAS and TAF through annual
tripartite meetings
 Participate in APLAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) Council
for discussion of peer evaluation reports of accreditation bodies
which are MRA partners
 Hold APLAC training courses for medical testing
20
HKAS PARTICIPATES IN INTERNATIONALHKAS PARTICIPATES IN INTERNATIONAL
ACTIVITIESACTIVITIES

21. 21

22. 22
For testing laboratories,
•QA/QC workshops
•Interpretation of EQAP results
•Evaluation of autoanalysers
•Measurement uncertainty for medical testing
For technical assessors,
•Annual assessor seminar
•Workshop on calibration of general equipment (e.g. thermometers, balances)
•Workshops on harmonisation of accreditation standards
For all of us,
CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENTCONTINUAL IMPROVEMENT
Seminars/workshops to enhance testing capability and raise quality standard:

23. WHAT DO WE DO IN THE NEXT 10WHAT DO WE DO IN THE NEXT 10
YEARS?YEARS?
• Cultivate close partnership with different stakeholders
• Maintain high quality standard of accredited
laboratories
• Encourage more medical laboratories to get
accreditation
• Promote the benefits of accreditation
23

24. 24