PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Moyo, Hannaniah AU - Osawe, Sophia AU - Nyangulu, Charles AU - Ndhlovu, Philemon AU - Harawa, Visopo AU - Divala, Oscar AU - Msukwa, Malango AU - Croxton, Talishiea AU - Blanco, Natalia AU - Mwandama, Dyson AU - Mkandawire, Memory AU - Kampira, Elizabeth AU - Kaba, Muluken AU - Maida, Alice AU - Auld, Andrew F. AU - Kim, Lindsay AU - Mwenda, Reuben AU - Kress, Howard AU - Kandulu, James AU - Sumani, Thresa AU - Bitilinyu, Joseph AU - Kalua, Thokozani AU - Abimiku, Alash’le TI - Hybrid Mentorship of Medical Laboratories to Achieve ISO 15189:2012 Accreditation in Malawi: The University of Maryland Malawi Experience AID - 10.9745/GHSP-D-24-00254 DP - 2024 Dec 20 TA - Global Health: Science and Practice PG - e2400254 VI - 12 IP - 6 4099 - http://www.ghspjournal.org/content/12/6/e2400254.short 4100 - http://www.ghspjournal.org/content/12/6/e2400254.full SO - GLOB HEALTH SCI PRACT2024 Dec 20; 12 AB - Key FindingsCombining virtual and on-site mentorship sessions and training can be an effective strategy to support laboratories seeking accreditation.A reduced accreditation scope (number of test types) in the first stage of seeking accreditation can aid the accreditation process.Continuous mentorship is key in the maintenance of accreditation.Key ImplicationHybrid mentorship can be a potential strategy for achieving and maintaining accreditation at a reduced cost.Introduction:As part of a laboratory strengthening program in Malawi to achieve and maintain International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 15189 accreditation, we intended to mentor selected HIV molecular laboratories to achieve this accreditation. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, mentorship pivoted to a hybrid model using an Internet-based approach and on-site mentorships. We describe the implementation of this strategy, successes, and challenges.Methods:We conducted weekly, 1-hour virtual mentorship sessions for the 5 initial laboratories (cohort 1) selected based on their Stepwise Laboratory Quality Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (SLIPTA) performance score of 3 or more stars. Laboratories presented updates and supporting documents electronically, and trainings were conducted virtually. In September 2020, when travel restrictions were relaxed, we initiated hybrid mentorships and audits for cohort 1 laboratories. The same hybrid approach was used to mentor 4 additional laboratories in cohort 2. We performed descriptive analysis, and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare the training pre-and post-test scores.Results:Between March 2020 and May 2023, the team completed a total of 54 virtual mentorship sessions and 20 on-site visits across 9 laboratories. Overall, the team conducted 8 training sessions for 35 laboratory quality officers. Median score improvement (pre-test vs. post-test scores) was observed across individual trainings and across cohorts (P<.01). At the end of cohort 1, 4 of 5 (80%) laboratories were accredited. One laboratory that did not reach accreditation joined cohort 2. At the end of the mentoring period, all 5 cohort 2 laboratories were accredited.Conclusions:We demonstrated that using a hybrid mentorship model for accreditation was a successful strategy during the COVID-19 pandemic. For the first time in Malawi, this strategy resulted in accrediting 9 of the 10 HIV molecular laboratories in 3 years at a reduced cost. Continuous mentorship is key in the maintenance of accreditation.