PHO’s Laboratory Awarded 2023 CLSI Excellence Award

As one of the largest public health laboratory systems in the world, PHO is a laboratory leader in terms of technology, testing and research. We have seen it first hand during the pandemic, with PHO taking on a leadership role in the Ontario COVID-19 Genomics Network and the COVID-19 Testing Strategy Expert Panel, as well as our involvement with Ontario’s COVID-19 Provincial Diagnostic Network.  

PHO’s laboratory was recently recognized by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) with the 2023 Excellence in Member Organization Leadership Award. The CLSI is the leading global non-profit laboratory medicine standards development organization. Its standards are recognized by laboratories, accreditors and government agencies worldwide as the best way to improve medical laboratory testing.

PHO has been an active government member of CLSI for over 35 years. PHO has also provided volunteers for 19 CLSI committees in recent years and contributed to the development of CLSI documents. This includes participating in:

• The validation of external transport systems
• Subcommittees for anti-fungal susceptibility tests and antimicrobial susceptibility tests
• The development of guidance related to methods for identifying cultured organisms, as well as documents related to bioinformatics, verification of lab automation and microarrays of infectious diseases
• An expert panel on molecular diagnostic
• A working group that revised recommendations on testing and reporting susceptibility results for fastidious bacterial organisms

“This award is a testament to the incredible contributions and expertise of the laboratory professionals that work at PHO,” says Dr. Samir Patel, Chief, Microbiology and Laboratory Science. “Our work with CLSI goes beyond strengthening the standards we adhere to in PHO’s laboratory network. It is felt in the clinical laboratory community around the world. I am proud to lead such a talented group of people who are making a difference every day.”

Visit our Laboratory Services page to learn more about PHO’s laboratory.