Subject
Proposal for partnership in a joint project TEMPUS IV– 5th Call
Project title
Development of a Continuing Education Program for the Medical Laboratory Professionals
Need
Medical laboratories are an important component of the comprehensive health care system.
Medical laboratory results (data) influence approximately 70% of clinical decisions. Laboratory
results are used for the prediction of disease risk, diagnosis of diseases, prognosis and follow up
of therapeutic regimen. Therefore, the medical laboratory and the medical laboratory
professionals (scientists and technicians) lie at the heart of the health care system and patient’s
management. The medical laboratory professionals have a responsibility to generate an accurate
and reliable test results in order to improve the clinical outcomes.
The medical laboratory has benefited in the last two decades from advanced automation in the
laboratory, availability of ready to use testing reagents, and the application of molecular
diagnosis in almost all laboratory disciplines. To maintain the competency of the laboratory and
deliver a quality service, laboratories must implement internal quality programs and participate
in external quality programs. Medical laboratories implementing quality standards generate
reliable, relevant and cost-effective results. Additionally, quality management and laboratory
accreditation against national or international standard (e.g., ISO 15189) are becoming widely
adopted in laboratories. These advances and rapid changes in the laboratory testing environment
provide a challenge for the medical laboratory professionals, who must adopt all these advances
and in the laboratory testing process acquaint themselves with the scientific knowledge necessary
to apply all these advances and maintain the competency of their laboratory. Therefore, the
provision of a continuing education program for medical laboratory professionals is highly
needed and shall provide medical laboratory professionals with the knowledge and experience
needed to cope with this rapidly changing field.
Background
The department of Medical Laboratory Sciences (MLS) at the Faculty of Health Professions, AlQuds University was established in 1980 and was the first department of its kind in Palestine.
The department of MLS offers three programs: a BSc degree in MLS, an upgrading program
from diploma to BSc in MLS and an MSc in MLS. The MSc program in MLS started in 2008
and has two tracks: “diagnostic microbiology and immunology” and hematology. The
department of MLS also has developed an external quality assurance scheme (also called
proficiency testing) for medical laboratories in 1995 and is being operated by its affiliated Center
for External Quality Assurance (CEQA). The latter center is the first and only center of its kind
in Palestine.
The department of MLS and in cooperation with the CEQA has organized several workshops for
medical laboratory professionals in several subjects in the medical laboratory sciences as well as
in quality control. The demand for such workshops and continuing education courses is
increasing because the Palestinian Medical Technology Association has, since January 2012,
linked the renewable of license for medical laboratory professionals to the participation in a
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continuing education program. Thus, every medical laboratory scientists/technician must
participate in a set of continuing education courses or scientific activities of relevance to the
profession in order to renew its license.
The department of MLS/ Al-Quds University seeks through this grant to develop a continuing
education program that targets all medical laboratory scientists/technicians. The department of
MLS/ Al-Quds University as the lead partner on this project serves multiple functions. First, as shown
above, department of MLS has expertise in several disciplines in the medical laboratory sciences. As the
primary coordinator on the project, MLS will be able to transfer its expertise to other institutions of higher
learning in Palestine as well as to local health institutions. Second, MLS is currently looking to develop a
continuing education program with emphasis on practical courses in all disciplines in medical laboratory
sciences. Thus, it will benefit on the project from partnering with European university partners that have
capabilities in this regard.
Project goal and objectives
The goal of the project is to develop a continuing education program for the medical laboratory
professionals in order to increase the expertise of laboratory professionals in this field and
consequently contribute to implementation of new technologies in the medical laboratories in
particular and provides a competent and quality laboratory testing for the patients in general.
The project objectives are:
1. Develop a continuing education program that targets all medical laboratory
scientists/technicians.
2. Provide training opportunities for the staff at the department of MLS and in partner
universities in specific subjects needed for the continuing education program.
3. Increase the knowledge and expertise of medical laboratory scientists/technicians and
consequently contribute to the implementation of new technologies and quality standards
in the medical laboratories.
4. Increase the range of testing services, increase the efficiency of testing and improves the
quality of laboratory testing that aids physicians in providing better management of
patients and benefits the patients in general.
5. Provide support and consultation for participants in the implementation of new
technologies and quality standards in their laboratories or health institutions (or their
working place).
6. Establish a training laboratory that provides an opportunity for trainees to gain practical
experience on the training subjects.
7. Provide specific workshops for physicians that deals with the role of medical laboratory
in the health care system and improves the communication between the medical
laboratory professionals and the physicians.
Project Outcomes
1. Establish and implement a continuing education program in that organizes regular
courses and training workshops for medical laboratory scientists/technicians.
2. Staff at the department of MLS gain training in specific subjects to provide support for
the continuing education program as well as other academic programs offered by the
department.
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3. Increased knowledge and expertise of medical laboratory scientist/technicians in the
laboratory testing process and quality control and in particular in the following areas:
a. Total quality management in the medical laboratories
b. Internal quality control procedures and their implementation in the medical
laboratories
c. External quality assurance schemes and their impact on the total laboratory testing
process.
d. Training workshops/courses in all medical laboratory scientists /technicians in all
disciplines of medical laboratory sciences.
4. Medical laboratories implement new technologies and provide a wider range of testing
services that help physicians provide accurate diagnosis and management of their patients
and benefit the patients in general.
5. Receive feedback from trainees participating in the continuing education program and
that enable the department of MLS and its partners to enhance and support the academic
curricula.
6. A training laboratory is established that provide support for the trainees participating in
the continuing education program.
Contact person:
Dr. Mahmoud A. Srour
Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences
Al-Quds University
Abu-Dies, Jerusalem
Palestine
Tel/Fax: 00970 2 279 12 43
Mobile: 00970 599 81 81 71
Email: msrour@hpro.alquds.edu
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