EuroGentest and the Symposium on Quality & Laboratory Management

EuroGentest (EUGT) is an EU-funded Network of Excellence (NoE) looking at different aspects of genetic testing – such as quality management. Through a series of initiatives, EuroGentest encourages the harmonization of standards and practice throughout the EU and beyond within genetic testing services.

Since 2005, interactive training workshops for small groups were organized on different topics related to quality management. The aim is to aid laboratories in the process of developing and improving quality systems and working towards accreditation. These workshops also contribute to the harmonization of the approaches to accreditation and to create a network of laboratories with a common goal – improving the quality of their services.

Topics such as laboratory quality assurance and accreditation, which are very important in medical laboratories, are not commonly addressed in (inter)national scientific meetings. This symposium aims to respond to this shortcoming and bring together people working in diagnostic laboratories. In contrast to the interactive approach of the EUGT workshops, this symposium mainly consists of presentations.

A EUGT quality award will be presented to a laboratory which is contributing to the improvement of the awareness of quality management in genetic testing. All laboratories are encouraged to submit a proposal concerning their experience, idea or improvement. Nominees will be able to present their proposal during the symposium and one will receive the EUGT Laboratory Quality Award 2009 and a free registration for one person to participate in a EuroGentest workshop on accreditation.

Target audience

The target audience includes lab directors, quality managers, technicians, scientists, researchers and other people working in a genetic testing laboratory (molecular, cyto and biochemical).
However, quality aspects apply to different types of laboratories, therefore all diagnostic testing laboratories are welcome to attend the symposium.

Topics

Accreditation according to ISO 15189, accreditation bodies in Europe and the world, External Quality Assessment schemes, IT solutions to support your quality management system, experiences from people working in an accredited laboratory or preparing for accreditation.