Pathologists Overseas: A volunteer-based model for building sustainable, high-quality pathology and laboratory medicine services in low- and middle-income countries

For thirty years Pathologists Overseas (PO) has worked in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to provide affordable, sustainable, and high-quality pathology and laboratory medicine (PALM) services through strategic partnerships and the efforts of our large volunteer network. We address low qual...

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Main Authors: Emily H. Glynn, Ann Marie Nelson, Merih Tesfazghi, Roa Harb, Timothy Amukele
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2022-08-01
Series:Frontiers in Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2022.977840/full
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author Emily H. Glynn
Ann Marie Nelson
Merih Tesfazghi
Roa Harb
Timothy Amukele
author_facet Emily H. Glynn
Ann Marie Nelson
Merih Tesfazghi
Roa Harb
Timothy Amukele
author_sort Emily H. Glynn
collection DOAJ
description For thirty years Pathologists Overseas (PO) has worked in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to provide affordable, sustainable, and high-quality pathology and laboratory medicine (PALM) services through strategic partnerships and the efforts of our large volunteer network. We address low quality diagnostic services by targeting the 3 pillars of PALM quality: human resources, systems, and quality and accreditation. To improve human resource capacity, PO and our partnering organizations provide virtual continuing education to pathologists and laboratory professionals in these countries. To improve systems, we provide laboratory information system installation and implementation support. Lastly, to improve quality and help laboratories progress toward accreditation, we support an external quality assurance program for laboratories in LMICs. As a relatively small organization, PO demonstrates that a network of dedicated volunteers, in partnership with corporations and professional organizations, can initiate sustainable change in the quality of PALM services in LMICs by focusing efforts on the core components of laboratory quality.
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spelling doaj.art-b64f44401bdf422cadd0be12ae6e032d2022-12-22T02:18:38ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Medicine2296-858X2022-08-01910.3389/fmed.2022.977840977840Pathologists Overseas: A volunteer-based model for building sustainable, high-quality pathology and laboratory medicine services in low- and middle-income countriesEmily H. Glynn0Ann Marie Nelson1Merih Tesfazghi2Roa Harb3Timothy Amukele4Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United StatesImpala Consulting, Washington, DC, United StatesDepartment of Pathology, Rush University, Chicago, IL, United StatesDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United StatesICON Laboratory Services, ICON plc, Farmingdale, NY, United StatesFor thirty years Pathologists Overseas (PO) has worked in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to provide affordable, sustainable, and high-quality pathology and laboratory medicine (PALM) services through strategic partnerships and the efforts of our large volunteer network. We address low quality diagnostic services by targeting the 3 pillars of PALM quality: human resources, systems, and quality and accreditation. To improve human resource capacity, PO and our partnering organizations provide virtual continuing education to pathologists and laboratory professionals in these countries. To improve systems, we provide laboratory information system installation and implementation support. Lastly, to improve quality and help laboratories progress toward accreditation, we support an external quality assurance program for laboratories in LMICs. As a relatively small organization, PO demonstrates that a network of dedicated volunteers, in partnership with corporations and professional organizations, can initiate sustainable change in the quality of PALM services in LMICs by focusing efforts on the core components of laboratory quality.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2022.977840/fullglobal healthhealth systems strengtheninglow- and middle-income countries (LMICs)pathologylaboratory medicine
spellingShingle Emily H. Glynn
Ann Marie Nelson
Merih Tesfazghi
Roa Harb
Timothy Amukele
Pathologists Overseas: A volunteer-based model for building sustainable, high-quality pathology and laboratory medicine services in low- and middle-income countries
Frontiers in Medicine
global health
health systems strengthening
low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)
pathology
laboratory medicine
title Pathologists Overseas: A volunteer-based model for building sustainable, high-quality pathology and laboratory medicine services in low- and middle-income countries
title_full Pathologists Overseas: A volunteer-based model for building sustainable, high-quality pathology and laboratory medicine services in low- and middle-income countries
title_fullStr Pathologists Overseas: A volunteer-based model for building sustainable, high-quality pathology and laboratory medicine services in low- and middle-income countries
title_full_unstemmed Pathologists Overseas: A volunteer-based model for building sustainable, high-quality pathology and laboratory medicine services in low- and middle-income countries
title_short Pathologists Overseas: A volunteer-based model for building sustainable, high-quality pathology and laboratory medicine services in low- and middle-income countries
title_sort pathologists overseas a volunteer based model for building sustainable high quality pathology and laboratory medicine services in low and middle income countries
topic global health
health systems strengthening
low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)
pathology
laboratory medicine
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2022.977840/full
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