In Guyana, testing and medical laboratories are certified by the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) to the National Laboratory Standard: GYS 170: 2009 “General requirements for the operation of a laboratory”, which provides heightened stakeholder confidence. This standard allows laboratories to develop a comprehensive laboratory management system, which facilitates the delivery of accurate and reliable test results.
Laboratory Certification is a means of determining the performance of laboratories that are involved in conducting testing, measurement and calibration activities. It provides formal recognition that a laboratory has implemented a management system, thus providing a ready means for customers to identify and select reliable testing, measurement and calibration services to meet their needs.
To maintain this recognition, laboratories are re-evaluated periodically by the GNBS to ensure conformance to requirements and to verify that their standard of operation is being maintained. Laboratories also participate in proficiency testing programmes between re-assessments, as a further demonstration of technical performance.
Certification benefits laboratories by allowing them to consistently operate in accordance with established procedures that are based on the national standard. It provides them with a benchmark for maintaining the laboratory management system and for improving the services offered to clients.
Indeed, laboratory results are very critical for decision-making and the processes used to achieve those results must be controlled. For testing laboratories, the determination of physical, chemical and biological limits in raw materials and finished products is often necessary to guarantee product quality and safety.
Meanwhile, credible results received from certified medical laboratories will allow health practitioners and professionals to provide a consistently high quality of service to their customers and clients. These results aid the medical diagnosis of patients, which helps to determine the appropriate medical prescriptions and treatment.
Without a certified laboratory management system, a laboratory has no recognized way of assuring its customers who include doctors, patients, insurance companies, embassies, regulatory authorities and other interested parties that the results they provide are reliable
.
The GNBS has the expertise to work with potential and currently certified laboratories to ensure they implement and maintain a laboratory management system. Currently, the certified laboratories in Guyana are GPHC Medical Laboratory, Woodlands Pathology Laboratory, Kaizen Environmental Services Laboratory, Dr. Balwant Singh Hospital Laboratory, Eureka Medical Laboratories, Medical Art Centre Laboratory, St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Laboratory, GDF Medical Laboratory, Quest Medical laboratory, GRDB Central Laboratory. GWI Testing Laboratory, Dr. Leslie Persaud Medical Diagnostic Centre, Doobay Medical Centre Laboratory, Anamyah Memorial Hospital Laboratory, Woodlands Hospital Laboratory and Pesticide and Toxic Chemical Control Board Laboratory.
The GNBS takes this opportunity to encourage other medical and testing laboratories, which have not yet decided on implementing the laboratory management system to come on board the GNBS Laboratory Certification Programme.
