In your medical laboratory, you carry out medical biology examinations, from sampling to the delivery of results, including interpretation and advice. 

Because infections in healthcare establishments can sometimes originate in the environment (nosocomial infections), your hospital hygiene laboratory monitors your environment. To do this, you implement measures to prevent healthcare-associated infections and the spread of bacteria that are multi-resistant or highly resistant to antibiotics.

As part of this, your laboratory:

• samples and analyses drinking water (distribution water and cooling fountains), microfiltered water to obtain bacteriologically controlled water, water for rinsing endoscopes, haemodialysis water and water from rehabilitation pools
• tests for legionella and atypical mycobacteria
• controls surfaces and aerobiocontamination

As part of your accreditation, your laboratory must meet the requirements of ISO 17025 Calibration and testing laboratories in accordance with the Cofrac technical guide to accreditation for microbiological, biological and molecular biology analyses of water, or  ISO 15189 standard "Medical laboratories - Requirements for quality and competence"  in accordance with the standard scopes for accreditation of medical biology examinations.
You must ensure the validity of your results and monitor your performance by comparing it with the results of other laboratories.

Your laboratory is likely to be interested in these proficiency tests:

• medical biology
• waters for medical use
• water microbiology

By taking part in these interlaboratory comparisons, you receive an estimate of your analytical performance, enabling you to improve the quality of your measurements on water and biological samples.
 

"Dans le cadre de l’accréditation des laboratoires, AGLAE offre un panel complet d’EEQ en bactériologie, assure des résultats rapides et un suivi personnalisé."

Patricia PISCHEDDA, Ingénieur Qualité, Institut de Microbiologie, Centre de Biologie Pathologie, CHU de Lille

"Prestations de qualité et exploitation des résultats très complète."

 Michèle VAUTRIN, Technicienne Laboratoire, CH LANGRES

• Medical biology covers a wide range of disciplines: biochemistry, haematology, immunology, microbiology, etc. 
• Medical biology examinations take place in three stages:
  • the pre-analytical phase, which includes taking and transporting biological samples
  • the analytical phase, using various techniques (microscopy, culture, automated medical analysis systems)
  • the post-analytical phase, with validation and interpretation of the results.
• These tests are used to assess a patient's state of health, diagnose pathologies, monitor illnesses and monitor treatment

• As part of your accreditation, your laboratory must meet the requirements of the ISO 15189 standard "Medical laboratories - Requirements for quality and competence" according to the standard scopes for accreditation of medical biology examinations.
• Accreditation of your medical laboratory guarantees the reliability and quality of your medical biology examinations, by checking your competence against that of your peers, other medical labs.

Your laboratory is likely to be interested in these External Quality Assessments:

• medical biology
• waters for medical use

By taking part in these interlaboratory comparisons, you receive an estimate of your analytical performance, enabling you to improve the quality of your measurements on biological samples or medical type water.

• Several Community regulations and directives lay down requirements for the hygiene of food products (foodstuffs and animal feed).
• The aim of these regulations is to protect consumers and ensure that all foodstuffs at the production, storage, processing and distribution stages are
  • they are safe and suitable for human consumption 
  • compliance with quality and health safety requirements.
• Chemical or biological agents that could pose a risk to humans or animals are particularly sought after.
• The role of water in the food sector:
  •  Among food products, drinking water is one of the most closely monitored foodstuff all over the world.
  •  In the food industry, water is an essential resource, not only as an ingredient, but also for production (heating or cooling), cleaning and staff hygiene. The water used may come from a public network and/or a private resource (well, borehole, surface water). In this case, the food company is responsible for the quality of the water from the point of abstraction to the point of use, and must obtain authorisation and undergo specific health checks by the Regional Health Agency.
  • Bottled water is also monitored by producers and distributors. They are subject to specific regulations because of their specific physico-chemical qualities.

As part of your ISO 17025 accreditation, your laboratory must meet the requirements of :

• Accreditation guides for physico-chemical and/or microbiological analyses of foodstuffs intended for humans or animals, as well as analyses of the food environment
• Approvals issued by Ministries of Agriculture to carry out food analyses.

In the case of bottled water, it is recommended that producers ensure that a quality assurance procedure is in place, taking particular account of the risks of contamination of the water by airborne contamination and the quality of the inputs (corks).
You must ensure the validity of your results and monitor your performance by comparing it with the results of other laboratories.

Your laboratory is likely to be interested in these proficiency tests on water, including bottled water:

• Microbiology in water
• Base parameters and indicators in water
• Metals in water
• Organic pollutants in clean water

By taking part in these interlaboratory comparisons, you receive an estimate of your analytical performance, enabling you to improve the quality of your water measurements.