Approval for setting up own laboratory for grading commodities which require laboratory testing for quality assessment

Step 1. Choose the location – The first thing to consider is a well-connected and esteemed place. Visit the different places in the city and learn about that places from people, the internet, and other resources. Gather information about the facilities available in the different parts of the city, such as hospitals nearby, the type of residents that live nearby, transit facilities, and so on. 

The location for setting up the medical laboratory should have enough space to store equipment and patient seating arrangements and to make future infrastructure changes. Always look for a ground-floor lab to ensure the comfort of pregnant women, senior citizens, individuals with impairments, etc.  

Step 2. Investment – One of the most crucial things to consider for your medical laboratory in India is investment. The following advice will help us comprehend the expenses of investing at different levels and for different purposes.  

The space you use for your medical laboratory may be rented or purchased.

There will be a requirement for equipment, upkeep, and repairs. It will necessitate substantial capital expenditure. 

Software is required in the lab to test outcomes and do other tasks. Money is required to purchase a subscription. 

Utility costs for things like broadband and power. 
You’ll need personnel to handle the lab, your patients, your schedule, etc. Another expense is employee compensation.    

Step 3. Set up infrastructure – You should prioritise the infrastructure of the lab during lab design because it will increase staff productivity and minimise downtime. The medical laboratory design should also include cleaned washrooms, wheelchairs, lift services, and many other fundamental equipment of a healthcare centre. 

To ensure that the activities each department plans are completed without a hitch, the various rooms and treatment areas must have a carefully thought-out arrangement.  

Step 4. License and registration – It is crucial because, in comparison to other sectors of the healthcare industry, the medical lab sector deals with the lives of individuals and needs adequate approval from hospitals and the government. You can use the following list as a reference for the documents and specifications needed to start a medical laboratory.    

List of necessary licences and registrations 

• Permission through Good Clinical Practices (GCP)
• A licence issued by the National Accreditation Board for the testing and calibration laboratories (NABL).  
• Registration with shops and Establishments Act
• Registration with Clinical Establishment Act
• The approval of the pollution control board.
• NOC from the fire department and city administration

Step 5. Space planning- Planning your space carefully is essential to ensuring that everything is placed correctly for the success of your medical business plan. The minimum space that can hold 100 patients along with their attendants is required for a medical laboratory. Therefore, the most important thing to consider is space so that the infrastructure can function properly.   

Step 6. Tools and equipment – The medical laboratory relies heavily on its tools and equipment. You need these tools and equipment for reporting, scheduling, diagnosis, and operation requirement. The equipment you decide to utilise must be provided by a reputable and certified supplier. Make sure your equipment is user-friendly and updated with the latest technology.     

To be able to treat more patients with various diagnoses, you must maintain all contemporary equipment and software. Contact medical facilities to ask them for referring your lab to their patients.

Step 7. Hire and train staff – The individuals selected to work in the lab must fulfil the standards for their particular designations. The acquisition procedure must be drawn out and involve several screening stages to make sure that the chosen candidates can handle the complex problems that occur in medical practice.

It is important to allocate staff in the lab so that they are fully familiar with the tools available. During the initial stages of their appointment, they must get instruction and training. It will reduce the likelihood of errors and aid in acclimatisation to laboratory procedures.

Step 8. Marketing and branding – Marketing is just as crucial to a successful medical business plan as the other steps mentioned above. The reality of business is that if a company is not noticeable, it won’t last very long. To stay ahead of the competition, especially for medical lab firms in India, you must have a distinctive marketing approach.

Your marketing efforts should assist the clients you hope to draw to your services for their diagnostic requirements and keep them as regular clients.

Step 9. Software tools- If you can carry out your laboratory tasks electronically, it would be really helpful. It is an effective approach to save time and eliminate any differences in the results. With robust software and an experienced team in this field, it will be possible to update each patient’s record with results, give them reminders, and have an exact record of each patient’s medical history. 

These tools are required not just to provide patients through software but also to support laboratory work. To achieve the required outcomes, diagnostics will require efficient technology and programming.