Timeline

Laaduntarkkailupäivät (Quality Assurance Days) was held for the first time at Finlandia Hall, with nearly 400 registered participants. Lecture summaries were published as a printed booklet. A dinner has been organised on the evening of the first congress day since 1976.

Record attendance: 480 participants! The opening address was delivered by Heikki Simola, Chairman of the Board of Laaduntarkkailu Oy (Labquality Oy).

• Toxicological quality control
• Microbiological quality control
• Haemoglobin quality control
• Blood group serological quality control
• Target limits, their setting and correct interpretation

Study visits to laboratories in the Helsinki metropolitan area were organised in connection with the event.

Attendance exceeded 800 participants for the first time.

The event, previously held in the autumn, was moved to the beginning of the year for the first time.

The event was moved to its current slot at the turn of January and February. Total attendance was around 1,000.

HIV was included as a lecture topic for the first time.

Attendance surpassed 900 participants. The Finnish National Board of Health approved the event as continuing education in accordance with Section 41 of the Public Health Act.

An exhibition was organised for the first time, allowing companies in the laboratory field to present their products and services.

The first international speakers addressed the theme Nordic Approaches in Quality Control.
Speakers included Professor Carl-Henric de Verdier and Dr Torgny Groth from Sweden, Dr Per Kr. Lund from Norway, and Dr Adam Uldall and Dr Per Hyltoft Petersen from Denmark.

Labquality Oy celebrated its 30th anniversary, and for the first time, the event was opened by the CEO of Helsinki University Central Hospital (HYKS), Arvo Relander. For the first time, the organisation of the programme took into account the audience’s optimal attention span, and lectures were shortened to 20–30 minutes.

Finlandia Hall became too small for the growing event, and the congress moved to Marina Congress Center. International participants arrived from 11 countries, and total attendance was around 1,300.

The opening address was delivered by Permanent Secretary Heikki S. von Hertzen, who spoke about healthcare resources and future prospects. The economic situation was bleak, significantly reshaping the operating environment. The state subsidy reform that came into force in 1993 also introduced a new competitive setting in healthcare, as municipalities became purchasers of services and hospital service providers.

For the first time, professionals in the field were honoured with the Laaduntarkkailu Award (Quality Assurance Award). The recipients were Nils-Erik Saris, Paul Grönroos, Heikki Simola and Erkki Leskinen.

1,284 participants, 66 speakers and 45 hours of lectures. A total of 81 international participants from 16 countries.

The first scientific poster exhibition was organised, with participation free of charge at the time. The best poster was awarded, and 16 posters were on display.

The facilities at Marina Congress Center proved insufficient, and some lectures were therefore held at nearby Wanha Satama.

The international programme was named Labquality Days.

The event expanded from 1.5 days to 2.5 days. The English-language programme on Saturday was free of charge for all participants who had paid the participation fee for Thursday and Friday.

Registration became possible via the internet.

The Finnish name Labquality-päivät (meaning Labquality Days) was used for the first time. The international programme continued under the name Labquality Days.

The Raimo Tenhunen Award was established.

Feedback was collected by email for the first time, and an iPod was raffled among respondents.

The congress moved to its current venue, the conference wing of the Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre.

A get-together event on the first congress day was held at Hartwall Arena, featuring magician Martti Vannas and Sami “Tartu mikkiin” Hintsanen.

The evening event was included in the congress ticket price for the first time and took the form of a two-hour cocktail reception.

A mobile event app was introduced, and the amount of paper material used at the congress was reduced for ecological reasons. The snowflake symbol, still in use today, was introduced.

Lecture abstracts were published on the congress website for the first time.

A Scientific Committee responsible for planning the international programme was established, with Päivi Laitinen appointed as its first Chair.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the congress was held entirely virtually. No programme tracks or lectures were cancelled, and the event was hosted by Peter Nyman.

Due to the pandemic, the congress was exceptionally moved to April. As a new feature, participants were offered the opportunity to watch lecture recordings afterwards in the Labquality Pro learning environment.

 The 50th Labquality Days congress!