NABL Launches New Medical Application Portal for ISO 15189:2022

In a significant move to strengthen India’s healthcare quality framework, the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) has launched a new Medical Application Portal for laboratories applying under ISO 15189:2022 standards. This digital initiative, revealed during the virtual event “GOING LIVE” on August 19, 2025, is designed to improve transparency, efficiency, and ease in the lab accreditation process.

What Is ISO 15189:2022 and Why It Matters

ISO 15189:2022 is an international standard that specifies quality and competence requirements for medical laboratories. Accreditation under this standard ensures that labs operate with consistent accuracy, reliability, and safety in diagnostic testing—critical to India’s health delivery systems.

By digitizing the application process for this accreditation, NABL aims to enhance India’s healthcare infrastructure through faster approvals, reduced human errors, and greater compliance.

Portal Highlights: Features Designed for Efficiency

The new NABL Medical Application Portal has been reimagined to reflect the actual workflows of medical laboratories. Its core upgrades include:

• Restructured application flow that simplifies form-filling and status tracking.
• Standardized document templates that reduce confusion and errors.
• A comprehensive pre-registration checklist for readiness assessment.
• Intuitive, user-friendly interface with clear navigation.
• Multi-user access feature, allowing different personnel (like lab managers, quality heads) to log in and perform assigned tasks securely.

With these features, routine application activities that previously took weeks or even months can now be completed in just 2–3 hours, according to QCI Chairperson Shri Jaxay Shah.

Benefits for Laboratories and Healthcare Sector

This launch brings several tangible advantages,

• Speed: Faster turnaround in application processing means quicker accreditation cycles.
• Transparency: Real-time application tracking ensures labs are updated at each step.
• Accountability: Multi-user access allows better internal checks and document verification.
• Cost-effectiveness: Digital processing reduces administrative and logistical overhead.
• National Reach: Labs from any part of India can access the system without physical dependency on regional offices.

Ultimately, this will lead to more accredited labs, improved diagnostic reliability, and better patient outcomes.