Back The Swiss–Latvian Cooperation Programme project “Advancement of Paediatric Oncology Care at the Children’s Clinical University Hospital” foresees significant investments in the development of the hospital’s laboratory services. These efforts aim to enhance diagnostic capabilities for patients with oncological and rare diseases in Latvia. In recent months, the team of specialists from the Children’s Hospital has gained valuable experience through study visits to partner laboratories in Switzerland, as well as visits to Lithuania’s National Pathology Centre and the Santaros Clinical Biobank. This knowledge exchange has enabled a targeted start to the laboratory modernisation process through digitalisation and the development of diagnostic methods.
Anticipating future demand for modern testing and embracing the role of a leader in Latvia’s paediatric healthcare ecosystem, the hospital has clearly defined its needs for laboratory development during the first year of the project implementation. As a result of these improvements, the Children’s Hospital will be able to offer more precise diagnostics and more effective treatment for children and adolescents in Latvia and beyond.
Within the scope of the project, a new diagnostic method will be introduced in the field of molecular biology for genetic testing, which will significantly improve the diagnosis of rare diseases. This will allow for earlier diagnosis and timely initiation of appropriate treatment. Furthermore, the modernisation of the hospital’s Pathology Department and the digitalisation of haematology, histology, and cytogenetics testing will accelerate diagnostic processes and enable expert consultations using digital samples—eliminating the need to send physical materials. Digitalisation will also facilitate stronger engagement of the hospital’s experts in international research and collaboration networks, ultimately improving patients’ access to innovative and evidence-based therapies.
“In light of the hospital’s current capabilities, the project goals related to digitalisation and the introduction of new diagnostic methods are ambitious. At the same time, this is already part of everyday modern healthcare elsewhere in the world. By learning from the experience and best practices of our international partners, we are better equipped to move forward and reach our goals in delivering world-class diagnostic services. That’s why, within the Swiss–Latvian Cooperation Programme, our team undertook an intensive two-day study visit to diagnostic laboratories in Switzerland,” explains Inga Nartiša, Head of Genetic Testing at the Children’s Hospital Laboratory.
During the visit to the Zurich University Hospital (USZ) and the Zurich Children’s Hospital (KISPI), the Children’s Hospital team met with representatives from several laboratory departments, including the Pathology and Molecular Tumour Profiling Laboratory, Histology and Immunohistochemistry Laboratory, Biobank, and experts in oncology diagnostics. A modern laboratory cannot operate without digitalisation and automated processes, so a significant portion of the visit was dedicated to exploring digitalisation topics such as unified electronic sample identification, data processing, storage, and sharing.
“The most valuable insights from such study visits come from observing practical processes and asking questions that help us better understand the challenges of implementing new solutions. We saw that with more efficient organisation and the right investments, our own laboratory could offer diagnostics that are just as fast, high-quality, and accessible as those in Switzerland. At the same time, we were pleased to realise that Latvia is already performing at a high level in the field of health data digitalisation,” adds Inga Nartiša.
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