PLMS engages laboratory stakeholders during the development or revision of BC Guidelines. We work with the Ministry of Health to adopt new or revised BC Guidelines under the Laboratory Services Act.
The Guideline and Protocols Advisory Committee (GPAC) is an advisory committee to the Medical Services Commission. With representatives from the Doctors of BC, BC Ministry of Health and PLMS , they develop clinical practice guidelines and protocols for BC practitioners.
In collaboration with GPAC, laboratory stakeholders have an opportunity to review draft versions of new or revised guidelines prior to publication on the BC Guidelines website.
For more information on PLMS' collaboration with GPAC, and to access the list of published BC Guidelines, see: BCGuidelines.ca
- The program lead will notify PLMS stakeholders about the opportunity to act as peer reviewers for the draft version of the guideline. Some stakeholders may receive a direct invitation from GPAC if the individual has signed up to be on their mailing list.
- The information we request from PLMS stakeholders is feedback on the content; whether the format is clear for readers; and impact on laboratories. We will specifically ask PLMS discipline advisory committees to complete a Guideline Review – Laboratory Investigations Form for recommendations about the way the guideline impacts the pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical laboratory phases, and the overall provincial laboratory system.
- The program lead will collate all responses from PLMS stakeholders and submit them to GPAC by the specified due date.
The Minister of Health is responsible for the administration and provision of benefits under the Laboratory Services Act (LSA). Laboratory-related guidelines developed and approved under the Medicare Protection Act (MPA) are adopted under the LSA by the Minister of Health.
PLMS gathers laboratory stakeholder feedback and works with the Ministry of Health to adopt these guidelines and protocols.
See the Laboratory Services Act Records of Decision page for a list of adopted guidelines and protocols.
Practice guidelines and protocols are addressed in the LSA, Section 23:
- The Minister may establish guidelines and protocols to guide referring practitioners with respect to requests for benefits
- A referring practitioner must consider all relevant guidelines and protocols established under subsection (1) when making a determination in respect of a request for a beneficiary to receive benefits
- For the purposes of subsection (1), the Minister may adopt by reference, in whole or in part and with any changes the minister considers appropriate, a guideline or protocols established by any person or body
