KENYA – Outspan hospital, a 250-bed capacity hospital in Nyeri Kenya, has earned the highly coveted International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certification for their laboratory services.
The hospital which prides itself as one of Kenya’s top hospitals receives the accreditation from Kenya Accreditation Service (KENAS), almost three years after they started the auditing process.
Outspan has been providing high quality tests for patient diagnosis over the years, and now has 76% percent of the procedures on offer accredited.
“When a lab is ISO certified, it means that all the qualities now have recognized international standards,” said Silas Mugungo, Director of Laboratory Service at Outspan.
Mugungo also noted that the accreditation was bound to lower operation cost for the hospital. This, he attributes to having laboratory settings, equipment, reagents and personnel conforming to ISO standards thus raising patient confidence in the hospital.
He, however, added that even without accreditation the hospital still maintained the highest quality in their testing, but the accreditation has an external appeal, and the high quality of services differentiates the institution from others in central Kenya.
Outspan joins the list of very few ISO certified hospitals in Central Kenya, having achieved a distinctive one-off accreditation, unlike others that have undergone stepwise accreditation.
The hospital has been under mentorship by Chem-Labs limited, a German firm that entered into partnership with the hospital in 2001.
Outspan has grown under their mentorship from an infant institution to a hospital with a formidable team of lab technologist who know how to articulate issues, says Mugungo.
Hospital laboratories play an important role in clinical diagnosis as well as establishment of systems for effective patient care.
Specifically, well equipped standardized laboratories play an important role in early detection of cancers thus saving lives.
Lab services assist in proper stocking of necessary drugs based on the results of tests conducted in the health facilities.
Moreover, lab technologists play a vital role in disease surveillance, which is their key function as they can inform on how to curb and control spread.
The hospital management says the ISO accreditation is a lifelong dream come true. Recently, the hospital commemorated 20 years of being in service.
