Looking for health advances? Latest ISOfocus examines healthcare hot topics

Whether you are being admitted to the hospital, getting medical treatment or simply doing your annual check-up, take a look at some of the specific ways ISO standards are changing healthcare for the better in the latest ISOfocus.

The March/April 2019 issue of ISOfocus provides updates on developments in the health sector and is a vital source of information about the health and healthcare industry. With its focus on driving quality and improving efficiency and cost-effectiveness, it undoubtedly speaks to the most pressing issue of our time.

“We need to overcome our contradictions to make decisions that improve and support healthcare worldwide… for present and future generations,” says Alexey V. Abramov, Head, Federal Agency on Technical Regulating and Metrology of the Russian Federation, in his introductory remark.

“Standards have always played a central role in healthcare, their scope expanding over the years to include the fields of medical services, medical equipment and management systems,” he observes. “Currently, the ISO portfolio contains 1 400 standards for health to help ensure that individuals and communities receive the quality of care they deserve. The guidance they deliver makes it easy to compare health services, exchange information, aggregate data and safeguard patient privacy.”

Inside the latest ISOfocus, you’ll find out about the continuous technological developments in healthcare which have saved countless lives and improved the quality of life for even more, from safe syringes and injections to risk management and health records.

We put the spotlight on how ISO standards have changed experiences for patients and their families, and highlight the huge impact they have on medical processes and the practices of healthcare professionals. Here, we share the stories of the sector’s thought-leading and top-achieving researchers, activists and standards experts.

By Elizabeth Gasiorowski-Denis