Risk Management in Clinical Laboratory - Medical Technology

Prayer Before Class

• Holy Spirit, Divine Creator, is the true source of light and wisdom.
• Students seek brilliance, dispelling darkness of sin and ignorance.
• A penetrating mind to understand, a retentive memory, and ease of learning are requested.
• Students ask for clarity in expression, successful completion of work, and guidance in their progress.
• This prayer is made through Jesus Christ.

Risk Management in the Clinical Laboratory

• Course: Principles of Medical Technology Practice 1
• Department: Medical Technology
• University: UST General Santos
• Topics include Introduction, AMP Model, Risk Assessment, Mitigation Procedures, and Performance Evaluation.

Learning Outcomes

• Students will be able to articulate the importance of biorisk management in the clinical laboratory.

Introduction

• Risk Management in the Clinical Laboratory is the topic of the introduction.

Risk Management

• Risk is managed consciously or unconsciously, rarely systematically.
• Biorisk is the risk associated with biological toxins and infectious agents.

Biorisk Management

• Biosafety and biosecurity integration to manage risks.
• Safe working practices to prevent exposure to pathogens and toxins.
• Protection, control, and accountability for valuable biological materials in laboratories.
• A system or process to control safety and security risks.

AMP Model

• Biorisk management encompasses risk identification, understanding, and management, system aspects in interrelated processes.
• Three primary components: assessment, mitigation, and performance.
• Control measures must be based on robust risk assessment and undergo continuous evaluation of effectiveness and suitability.
• Identified risks can be managed through mitigation, avoidance, limitation, transfer, or acceptance.

Risk Assessment

• First step in implementing a biorisk management process.
• Includes hazard identification and risk characterization.
• Risk is defined as the possibility that something bad or unpleasant will happen.
• Steps in risk assessment: define the situation, the risks, characterize the risks, and determine if risks are acceptable or not.
• Defining the situation entails identifying hazards and risks of biological agents, identifying at-risk hosts, and defining work activities and laboratory environment.
• Defining the risks involves reviewing how at-risk hosts may be exposed to hazards. Example: a biological agent component of the chain of infection.
• Characterizing the risks involves comparing the likelihood and consequences of infection quantitatively and qualitatively.
• Determining if risks are acceptable or not depends on factors including regulatory requirements, resource availability and sustainability, risk mitigation measures, local endemism, community value, stakeholder perception, and risk matrix analysis.

Mitigation Procedures

• The second component of the biorisk management model.
• Depends on risk assessment results.
• Includes actions and controls.
• Purpose: To reduce or eliminate risks associated with biological agents or toxins.
• Good risk control strategies: provide a clear direction, be practical, minimize resistance, align with overall goals.

Performance Evaluation

• The last component of the biorisk management model.
• Involves a systematic process to achieve organizational goals.
• Ensures implemented mitigation measures are effective in mitigating or eliminating risks.
• The process includes identifying key issues, evaluating and refining performance indicators, providing findings from indicators, collecting data, reporting indicator results, defining outcome indicators and metrics, and defining activities indicators and metrics.
• Laboratory activities, personnel, processes, and technology changes affect the risk.

References

• Benitez, P., Dumaoal, O., Estrella, F., Mortel, F., Nava, M. (2019). Principles of Medical Laboratory Science 1. C and E Publishing, Inc.
• WHO 2020 Laboratory Biosafety Manual 4th Edition: [URL removed]

Dominican Blessing

• Prayer for blessings from God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
• Guidance, eyes to see, ears to hear, hands to do God's work, feet to walk the path of salvation, and a mouth to preach the Word of God.
• Guardian angel's protection and the Lord's gift of the kingdom.

This quiz covers risk management principles specifically tailored for clinical laboratories as part of the Medical Technology course. Students will explore key topics including the AMP Model, risk assessment, mitigation procedures, and performance evaluation. Enhance your understanding of biorisk management and its significance in ensuring safety and effectiveness in laboratory practices.