a committee in the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) advised against outsourcing laboratory services, raising concerns over quality assurance While deciding to extend the outpatient department’s (OPD) diagnostic services to 24 hours. The committee further unanimously decided to extend diagnostic services by looking into the additional manpower required and asked departments to submit details of current sanctioned posts, vacant posts and additional requirements.
In its first meeting, heads opined that outsourcing laboratory services would not be appropriate for an institute of eminence like PGI. The laboratory services at the institute pride themselves on the strict implementation of quality assurance and clinical departments insist on reports from the institute itself. The committee further checked the system working in AIIMS New Delhi and learned that the core lab installed in the new Rajkumari Amritkaur OPD is being run by the department staff of lab medicine, the same model as PGIMER. The heads of various lab services departments at PGI opined that sample collection timings of tests at OPD can be increased if additional human resources are made available. In its second meeting, the committee again reinforced that ‘in the interest of quality services as well as teaching programs running in the institute for paramedical courses as well as medical courses, it will be prudent if the institute does not outsource the lab services.’
The collection timings there have been increased to 6.30 pm and the lab is run on a 24/7 basis.
The committee said it would be difficult to have the same kind of supervision in an outsourced laboratory service.
