Cornwall Regional Hospital Lab is ISO Certified

The Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH) Laboratory in St. James has received ISO 15189:2012 certification from the Jamaica National Agency for Accreditation (JANAAC).

The facility has been accredited for medical testing/examination, including haematology, chemistry, immunology and microbiology.

With the certification, the Type A facility, which forms part of the Western Regional Health Authority’s (WRHA) laboratory services, has proven that its clinical diagnostic and public health services, which is provided to the private and public sectors, are in line with internationally recognised standards.

Addressing the accreditation ceremony held at Hilton Rose Hall Resort in Montego Bay on Thursday (Oct. 17), Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Senator the Hon. Aubyn Hill, said that the accreditation will improve the lab’s service delivery.

“It’s a big thing. This will ensure that patient care is reliable, accurate, and in line with the best practices worldwide,” he noted.

Senator Hill emphasised the importance of laboratories across the island getting accredited, noting that this attracts more investments to the country and gives it a competitive advantage.

“So, we’re looking to make sure that with the implementation of the ISO 15989 international standard by more of our local medical laboratories, Jamaica can lead the charge to promote better patient outcomes and model a quality-driven healthcare system in this country,” he stated.

For his part, Health and Wellness Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, said the accreditation of the CRH laboratory, which does some 1.75 million tests per year, sends a message that the hospital continues to deliver high-quality service, even while the main building is still under construction and renovation.

“I hope that it is sending the signal …. that we’re not only coming back as Cornwall Regional, the old institution. We are coming back as Cornwall Regional in a manner that not only meets the requirements of the people of St. James and western Jamaica, and indeed Jamaica, but doing so in an international fashion in all areas,” Dr. Tufton said.

He commended the CRH team, emphasising that earning the ISO certification proves that “you are not only local, you’re not only regional, but you’re international.”

An agency of the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, JANAAC is the only internationally-recognised accreditation body in the English-speaking Caribbean, having full membership and executive representation on both the International Laboratory Cooperation (ILAC) and the Inter American Accreditation Cooperation (IAAC) Executive Committees.

It is the first in the Caribbean to become a member of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF).

JANAAC provides accreditation services to 77 conformity assessment bodies through laboratories, inspection, and certification in 11 countries in CARICOM.

Some 43 of these entities are based in Jamaica, with 35 accredited by JANAAC to various international standards, which is the largest representation of JANAAC-accredited entities in the Caribbean.

These comprise nine laboratories, 22 testing laboratories, one calibration laboratory and three inspection bodies.