In the early 1990s, the Ontario government-funded Laboratory Services Review (1992–1994) recommended that a full “quality improvement program” be implemented to integrate proficiency testing and accreditation. In September 2000 the Ontario government funded the integrated quality management program, with the goal of developing and implementing an accreditation model for all medical laboratories over a five-year period.

In September 2000 the Ontario government funded the integrated quality management program, with the goal of developing and implementing an accreditation model for all medical labs over a five-year period. 

The integrated program was developed and implemented within three years, well ahead of the projected five-year period, and the Quality Management Program—Laboratory Services (QMP–LS) was born. This mandated program, which is responsible for assessing quality and competence of all licensed Ontario labs, is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health (MOH).

Over the years, we have expanded our services to organizations outside of Ontario and Canada, thus in 2009, the Institute for Quality Management in Healthcare was formed.

On October 7, 2019, IQMH became a controlled affiliate of Accreditation Canada (AC). Today, an integrated business operating model has been developed to further separate our operations. The IQMH Centre for Accreditation is now a part of Accreditation Canada (AC) under a new name, AC Diagnostics, and has been rebranded. The IQMH Centre for Proficiency Testing remains within IQMH as a controlled affiliate of AC. Read the full announcement here.

On April 1, 2020, CorHealth Ontario (CorHealth) transferred the Echocardiography Quality Improvement (EQI) Program to the Institute for Quality Management in Healthcare (IQMH). Read the full announcement here.

Our operations meet the ISO quality management system requirements, inclusive of policies and processes supported by controlled procedures, corrective/preventive action, internal audits, a complaints process to identify opportunities for improvement, and management review.