KAPSABET COUNTY REFERRAL HOSPITAL LABORATORY RECEIVES ISO 15189:2012 ACCREDITATION
Kapsabet County Referral Hospital’s medical laboratory has received ISO 15189:2012 accreditation from the Kenya Accreditation Service (KENAS). The recognition follows the spirited process of the hospital management and laboratory staff in ensuring that the department conforms to international guidelines. Accreditation in medical Laboratory services is a preferred framework for building quality medical laboratory systems that are targeted to result in quality tests.
ISO 15189:2012 is a set of international standards formulated by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ISO 15189:2012 touches on the competence of medical laboratories to deliver services in terms of but not limited to: a medical laboratories quality services, its managements systems, the staff technical competence and the calibration of instruments.
The award follows vigorous preparation by the management and staff through formal applications, on-site assessments and thorough examination of the laboratories quality and management systems.
The recognition shows that Kapsabet County Referral Hospital Laboratory is a legally identifiable entity and also appropriately registered as a medical laboratory that offers quality services according to international standards.
“The premier referral of our facility means the laboratory meets international standards for quality and competence in medical laboratories. Indeed, medical laboratory testing plays a crucial role in the detection, diagnosis and treatment of disease in patients and attaining this certification is a major boost towards actualizing our vision to provide world class healthcare services for our people,” said Ruth Koech, CEC for Health.
Medical laboratory tests are vital in the patient journey because they play a critical role in informing the patient and medical personnel of any underlying issues. Moreover, laboratory test results play a critical role in decision making therefore its importance cannot be taken for granted. There is no room for error.
Patients ought to perform tests from medical laboratories that are standardized and that conduct tests with minimal error and according to international standards.
Kapsabet Medical Superintendent Dr. Daniel Kemboi hailed the achievement, saying the results from the facility lab can be trusted worldwide.
“Our certification means results obtained at this laboratory can now be replicated anywhere in the world allowing it to support training and research. Residents can now enjoy efficient laboratory services due to increased confidence in test results,” Dr. Kemboi.
The Laboratory is manned by County Medical Lab Coordinator (CMLC) Richard Kendagor, who coordinate all Lab services in the county and Lab Manager Julius Maiyo who runs day to day activities at KRCH and 18 health workers who operate 24 hours from Monday to Sunday and on public holidays, providing emergency services to all the hospital’s clinical departments.
This Accreditation formally recognises a Kapsabet County Referral Hospital Laboratory as commendable, and therefore members of the public are encouraged to identify and select the hospital as the facility of choice to receive testing and measurement services that meet customer needs.