quality systems
L-SIP Increases Assessment,
Reassessment Numbers
by Tina Su, MPH, manager, Quality Systems
The Laboratory System Improvement
Program (L-SIP) saw a slight uptick
this spring in both assessment and
reassessment numbers. The Virginia
Division of Consolidated Laboratory
Services (VA DCLS) convened an
assessment in April, while the City
of Milwaukee Health Department
Laboratory (MHDL)—the first local public
health laboratory system to complete a
reassessment—held its event in May.
Both laboratories brought together system
partners, including representatives
from the health and environmental
departments and academia, for a one-day
assessment. Facilitators led breakout
groups through a discussion of the ten
sections of the L-SIP assessment tool,
which correspond to the 10 Essential
Public Health Services (see sidebar).
Through this dialogue, the system
partners gained a better understanding
of system strengths and opportunities for
improvement.
VA DCLS Assessment
In Virginia, Essential Services #1, #2,
#3, #5, #6, #7 and #10 were recognized
as system strengths, while Essential
Services #4, #8, and #9 were deemed
areas needing improvement. VA DCLS
Laboratory Director Denise Toney
described her L-SIP experience with
enthusiasm, “What a great opportunity
to hear such positive feedback on all the
different types of activities the laboratory
provides each and every day but also to
learn specifically about what we can do
to improve our laboratory testing services
in order to better meet the needs of our
stakeholders.”
MHDL Reassessment
In Milwaukee, Essential Services #3,
#6 and #7 were identified as system
strengths, whereas Essential Service #9
was found to have low activity within
the system. MHDL Director Sanjib
Denise Toney, laboratory director of the Virginia Division of
Laboratory Services and Sanjib Bhattacharyya, laboratory
director of the City of Milwaukee Health Department laboratory,
posed with their L-SIP Certificates of Participation, which were
awarded to them at the 2018 APHL Annual Meeting
Bhattacharyya described Milwaukee’s
L-SIP reassessment as very timely. “It
has been about eight years since we
conducted our first L-SIP assessment.
Changes in leadership, partners and
areas of priorities prompted us to
consider reassessment of our system’s
performance,” Dr. Bhattacharyya said.
“We also wanted to do a reality check on
previously identified priority essential
service areas, which (we) had been
working toward during past years. The
reassessment allowed us to verify the
As of July 1, 2018, 36 state PHL
systems have held an assessment
and five a reassessment. At the local
level, five PHL systems have held an
assessment and one a reassessment.
availability of resources and services
to the community and the impact of
PHL practices in sustainable quality
improvement at the local system level.”
With assistance from APHL Quality
Systems Manager Tina Su and contractor
Anne Weber, the MHDL team was able to
utilize tools developed during its initial
2010 assessment to improve planning for
its reassessment. “There were a lot more
challenges during the first assessment,
since we had to customize the L-SIP
guidelines for local lab use. This time, with
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LAB MATTERS Summer 2018
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