Providing quality health services is the cornerstone of the validity of medical examinations. The need for reliable medical results has led to the creation and implementation of standards for the certification of quality management systems and the accreditation of their technical competence. This need becomes even more crucial in clinical laboratories and imaging diagnostic centers, where the patients’ medical test results are decisive for their diagnosis and treatment.
The accreditation and implementation of quality standards by clinical laboratories and imaging diagnostic centers is based on several objective criteria that prove their technical competence. They are important as they attest to the technical competence, reliability, and suitability of the accredited bodies to reliably conduct the tests they undertake.
Among the most important benefits resulting from quality management are the continuous upgrading of services, due to the standardization of procedures, the increase of confidence in the patients’ medical tests results, and the awareness and empowerment of human resources on issues related to the quality of the services offered.
Through accreditation and, by extension, the provision of quality health services, the health system is upgraded and accredited businesses contribute to the protection of the environment. At the same time, the services accredited by the CYS-CYSAB in Cyprus are accepted in Europe and worldwide, without the need for re-auditing. At the same time, the need for continuous adaptation of the centers to international accreditation standards (annual inspections by the CYS-CYSAB, national health regulations and rules) is reinforced, ensuring quality in the services offered.
Furthermore, accredited and certified Medical Centers – which devote significant funds and time, annually to accreditation procedures – manage to operate more efficiently and respond in the best possible way to the patients’ needs through the mandatory application of specific regulations and requirements. As a result, citizens’ confidence is increased, centers’ prestige is enhanced and their visibility in the health sector is improved.
Patients gain significant benefits as well: First and foremost, conducting tests in accredited and certified centers ensures the reliability and validity of the test results. In this way, the aim of prevention, early diagnosis, and proper treatment of any diseases with which the patient may be diagnosed is achieved.
Of course, quality management is not limited to the certification and accreditation of the diagnostic departments. It is a philosophy of continuous improvement (Continuous Quality Improvement) of all activities, oriented towards the best possible satisfaction of the patients’ needs. A sustained commitment to quality should be the goal for all health systems, with the aim of maximizing the benefits for patients, developing human resources through continuous training and evaluation, and ultimately, providing quality and improved health services.
Kyriakos Yiannouka
CEO of Yiannoukas Medical Laboratories, BIOIATRIKI Healthcare Group in Cyprus
Anna Giasoumi
Director at Alpha Evresis Diagnostic Center, BIOIATRIKI Healthcare Group in Cyprus
