By Tracy Fleming, Deputy Sector Manager – Imaging Technical
This was the first in-person conference in some years, where a record number of physicians and scientists ventured to the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre for the annual scientific meeting for leaders in lung health and respiratory science, held across five days, the week before Easter.
Preparations for the upcoming joint TSANZ/NATA accreditation program was high on the agenda for us at conference and the NATA stand was a key stop for those wanting to know more about the development of the new program, in particular some of the changes with the version of the Standard changing to the ISO 15189 framework and new management system requirements.
It was inspiring to see the reaction and engagement from the 1,400-plus attendees to the new accreditation program, from both labs already accredited and those new to accreditation. Progress is being made behind the scenes and we can’t wait to provide some updates.
Aside from the new program, discussions with attendees also demonstrated that there is a strong culture of quality present within the respiratory science community.
One quote from the “Quality Control in the Respiratory Laboratory ANZSRS debate” which stuck with me was:
When it comes to quality control (QC) in the respiratory laboratory, more is more. Anything that contributes to the quality of the result is key.
Everyone was so keen to share their experiences and thoughts on how accreditation contributes to improved standards for respiratory function laboratories and the flow on effect this has to better health outcomes for patients.
There were also many attendees who were interested to learn that the role of Technical Assessors was pivotal in our accreditation program and that the time commitment required of these assessors was greatly reduced under the new program. This news was warmly received, which was evidenced by the number of expressions of interest we had in becoming a NATA Technical Assessor. So many spoke keenly of their desire to ‘give back’ to the industry which has served them well.
A key conference moment was when Brigitte Borg was awarded the prestigious honour of “ANZSRS Life Member.”
She becomes only the 10th person to have this recognition bestowed upon them, as it is reserved for persons who have contributed in a major way to the development, promotion and running of the ANZSRS.
We would like to congratulate Brigitte on this award – and we are grateful that she is sharing her knowledge and experience with NATA through her role on the Steering Committee for the new joint TSANZ/NATA Respiratory function laboratory accreditation program.
The joint TSANZ/NATA accreditation program is coming later in 2024.
For further updates and all laboratory trends, ensure you book your ticket for Accreditation Matters 2024 in June here.
