SAQ

Question 1

What are entry level competencies for medical scientists? Give 3 examples.

Answer 1

Maintain and promote safe working practices
Maintain documentation, equipment and stock
Report and issue laboratory results

Question 2

What are the roles of managers?Give 3 examples.

Answer 2

Resource and financial management
Co-ordination, communication and liaison
People management

Question 3

What is the main purpose of Quality Assurance?

Answer 3

To improve quality of results
To achieve standardisation in test and reporting procedures
Laboratories ranked on performance

Question 4

What are key elements of business case?

Answer 4

Executive summary
Background (situational and problem statement)
Project description

Question 5

A laboratory is looking at implementing Malaria POCT cassettes into their bank of tests, list one advantage and one disadvantage of implementing these.

Answer 5

advantages; reduced errors, reduced turn around times
disadvantages: expensive devices, staff training

Question 6

List two key drivers of POCT.

Answer 6

need for rapid results
reduce clinical lab testing

Question 7

What are potential negatives of the My Health Record System

Answer 7

susceptible to data breaches
confusing for elderly population

Question 8

list 4 management styles?

Answer 8

Exploitive Authoritative
Benevolent Authoritative
Consultative
Participative Group Management

Question 9

How does automation impact laboratory efficiency?

Answer 9

streamlines repetitive tasks
increases throughput
increased efficiency

Question 10

What effect does automation have on accuracy in laboratory testing?

Answer 10

minimises human error
standardising processes
enhance accuracy

Question 11

What is the difference between QC, QA and TQM?

Answer 11

accuracy of test and procedures
quality of systems and staff competency
all processes, products, and services

Question 12

List three key elements of a business case and briefly explain what they are.

Answer 12

Executive Summary: A brief summary of the entire business case.
Background and Situational Statement: Describes the project’s story, the opportunity that exists, and how the problem will be solved, providing context and rationale.
Project Description: Details the processes, systems, and organisational elements to overcome issues, including the project’s description, scope, and objectives, to assure stakeholders of the project’s execution plan.

Question 13

List 4 processes for team building?

Answer 13

Developing a teams individual skills
- Creating cohesiveness
- Managing the different expertises and roles
- Negotiation and conflict resolution

Question 14

What are the key drivers of automation?

Answer 14

Consolidation, changing community expectation, improve patient safety, increasing costs of healthcare in Australia

Question 14

What are the five steps involved in the traditional microbiology lab that is needed in an automated microbiology system?

Answer 14

1. Inoculation
2. incubation
3. microscopy
4. Reading
5. Identification and susceptibility tests

Question 15

List and define two types of quality documentation?

Answer 15

policy
procedures

Question 16

List 3 external factors that can cause the failure of automation

Answer 16

Complexity of the automated process.
- Staff complience issues.
- Increased demands for IT.
- The reliability of a vendor.

Question 17

How can LEAN be used effectively in laboratories and operating rooms specifically?

Answer 17

In laboratories it can be used to reduce turn around times and errors while in operating rooms they can reduce changeover times and increase their utilisation.

Question 18

What are the differences between assets, liabilities and equity on a balance sheet?

Answer 18

Assest are all current or fixed assets owned by the company. Liabilities are assets or resources that are supplied by a non-owner of the business. Equity is both the resources supplied by the owner of a business and the distributed net profits.

Question 19

What are the four stages of the management cycle process?

Answer 19

Planning
- Organising
- Directing
- Controlling

Question 20

What is the difference between macroeconomics and microeconomics?

Answer 20

Macroeconomics is the study of behaviour of a whole economic system with an example being state and federal budgets, while microeconomics is the study of behaviour of individual units of an economy with examples including a hospital department.

Question 21

what are the advantages of expert system?

Answer 21

increased efficiency
consistency
permanent record

Question 22

Why is Nata accreditation important for pathology labs?

Answer 22

NATA accreditation ensures that labs meet national and international standards, to reduce the risk to patients by maximising the accuracy and reliability of diagnosis results. NATYA accreditation is mandatory for medicare rebates.

Question 23

What are three Fixed and three Variable costs for Laboratory Expenses?

Answer 23

Fixed:
Depreciation on equipment
Labour costs (administrative)
Maintenance
Insurance
Space
Variable:
Reagents and supplies
Disposables (glass/plastic etc)
Labour (scientific, technical)
Biologicals
All other times needed to perform a test