BC’s Agency for Pathology and Laboratory Medicine has been established to provide oversight and service planning for diagnostic lab services within the province.
The Laboratory Services Act (LSA) was passed by the Government of BC in April 2014, with commencement of the Act in October 2015. This new legislation enables a single governance, funding, and service delivery oversight of all publically-funded medical laboratories in BC.
The Agency has a mandate to ensure that clinical laboratory diagnostics are quality driven, achieve excellent clinical outcomes, and remain sustainable by being provided effectively and efficiently.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) has provided Pathology and Laboratory Medicine with a unique opportunity to shape its future through commencement of the Laboratory Services Act (LSA) and creation of BC’s Agency for Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (Agency). The Agency will actively engage stakeholders throughout the process to develop the vision and the strategy.
The Strategic Service Delivery Plan (Plan) will recommend a provincial service model that enables the Agency to drive optimization and innovation within clinical and diagnostic laboratory services to improve access, capacity, and reflect the best cost quality within available resources. In addition, the Plan’s recommendations will provide a framework for laboratory service delivery and support the Agency in its role of planning, oversight, directing, and funding Pathology and Laboratory Services over the course of the next three (3) to five (5) years. The Plan is expected to support the MOH strategic direction, triple aim approach and patient-centred policy.
The Plan is supported by the enablers; Strategic Human Resources Plan, Informatics Plan, Provincial Quality Framework, and a funding approach for private and public lab service delivery.
