Factors Affecting Implementation of Laboratory Quality Management System inAddis Ababa Public Health Laboratories, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Laboratory quality management system is one of the most important initiative change taken place in the field of the medical laboratory as a comprehensive and transformational strategy to improve the quality of service to respond the needs and expectations of the society in Ethiopia since 2009. Objective: This study aimed to assess factors affecting laboratory quality management system implementation among Addis Ababa health laboratories, Ethiopia. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study design approach was used from September 2017 to February 2018 using both quantitative and quantitative data collection approach. Data were entered, cleaned using EPI-Data 3.1 and exported to SPSS version.20 software for analysis. Results: Nine variables were found considerably associated with LQMS implementation (p<0.05) where method validation and verification, root cause analysis, laboratory equipment maintenance related issues, external quality assessment, professional competency, measurement uncertainty analysis, evaluation, and audit and trained staff turnover. Conclusion: The overall findings illustrate that there is a need for facility management should set a specified budget for laboratory quality management implementation and should into consideration those factors while laboratory quality management system implementation.