DETERMINING THE NEED FOR THE APPLICATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 15189:2012 FOR THE QUALITY AND EFFICIENCY OF MEDICAL LABORATORIES AND ITS IMPACT ON THE SATISFACTION OF USERS OF Test RESULTS IN A SAUDI HOSPITAL IN THE EASTERN PROVINCE.

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the quality of the services provided by medical laboratories and the level of satisfaction of test users with the results in a Saudi hospital in the eastern province. It also aimed to highlight the role and importance of applying the International Standard ISO 15189:2012 for the Quality and Efficiency of Medical Laboratories in improving the quality of services provided by medical laboratories. The study also aimed to determine the extent to which the technical and administrative requirements of the standard are met from the perspective of the study sample and to compare them with the overall level of satisfaction with the quality and
efficiency of the services provided by the laboratories. The results of the study showed a strong positive correlation between the satisfaction of test users with the results and the degree of application of the administrative and technical requirements of the standard. This indicates that the satisfaction of users of test results is affected by the degree of application of all the clauses of the international standard for the quality and efficiency of medical laboratories. The results also showed that the level of satisfaction of users of test results (doctors) with the quality of services provided by medical laboratories was weak and that the level of application of the ISO standard clauses in the laboratories in the study sample was weak in general. The study concluded with a set of recommendations, the most important of which is the need to improve the quality of services provided by medical laboratories through the adoption and application of the International Standard ISO 15189:2012 for the Quality and Efficiency of Medical Laboratories.