Pathology Errors Trigger Efforts to Improve Standards in Canadian Medical Labs
New National Pathology Council Will Tackle Quality Issues, But Pathologist Understaffing Remains in Some Regions
In Canada, anatomic pathology has a public black eye due to disclosures of pathology misdiagnoses occurring in multiple medical laboratories over the past six years. One big lesson from these events is that public trust in the integrity of clinical laboratory tests is a precious asset that must be protected.
Now comes news that pathologists in Canada will squarely address the issue of pathology test integrity in their nation. Following a series of meetings, pathologists last month announced the creation of the Canadian Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Leadership Council (CPLMLC). Its mission will be to implement a quality-assurance system to address issues that cause medical errors in pathology laboratory testing. Its goal is to reduce or eliminate these sources of medical errors.
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