Inspectors are the backbone of JACIE; without them, there is no accreditation process. Becoming an inspector is a wonderful way to contribute to maintaining global quality standards. As the number of JACIE applications has increased, we are constantly looking for new inspectors to join our ranks. At the moment, we are particularly keen to hear of German, French and Spanish speaking Clinicians and Quality Managers.
Each month, you will have the opportunity to meet with one of our JACIE Inspector who will share his/her experience.
Read our interview with Korinne Di Leo.
Introduce yourself and your role(s) and position(s) within EBMT and outside of EBMT
I am Korinne Di Leo, Inspector JACIE since 2010, beginning from Processing and now also for Quality Management. I am Biologist, actually working in the Tissue Establishment of the Paediatric Clinic in Padua, Italy. The TE also supports two other adult Transplant Programs, a Laboratory dense in activity and projects for the future involving also ATMP. My background consists of a pharmaceutical degree obtained after a thesis in the quality assurance service of a pharmaceutical company in Paris, followed by a PhD in microbiology in collaboration with the German University of Ulm, and finally in the OncoHematology Paediatric Unit in Bologna. There I spent 20 years of my life, 15 working on cellular products processing and clinical study protocols. During this time I became the QM of TE and the main referent of Processing.
Why did you decide to become a JACIE inspector?
I was handling a bit of quality in my lab, and my chief was JACIE Inspector with the project of JACIE Accreditation: I asked him to participate in the course for Inspector JACIE in Belgirate (Italy). I wanted to go deeply and improve my knowledge in the field of Cellular Products Transplant and contribute to the JACIE Accreditation. I wanted to broaden my horizon, know people working on the same field, travel and speak other languages.
What has been the most memorable inspection that you have ever done?
Personally, I have more than one memorable inspection, any of them are characterised by special details: inspector team, program inspected, places and weather (like a last-minute change of flight destination with a car ride to reach Lille during the night because of snow). It was important in the beginning to have experienced inspectors who were important guides for me to improve. And then it was nice to conduct some inspection with the same inspectors: some of them are good friends now. Finally, I like to know other inspectors and help them in turn when they are new. I also travel in Italy as well as in France and for the future I would like to extend my range.
What ‘keys to successful JACIE accreditation’ can you share with us?
Just begin from the standards, with the help of the Manual, and really make sure that all people belonging to the organisational chart are involved, aware and acknowledged on the process of JACIE Accreditation. From the standards and an initial evaluation, dispose of a program with assigned tasks and regular meetings on it. Of course, this is much easier if there is at least an inspector in the Transplant Program.
How has your career/work benefited from being a JACIE inspector?
Being a JACIE Inspector helped me not only to get as far as acknowledgement on quality and legislation, but also to develop different skills like working in team. I experienced being a tutor as well in a JACIE Inspector course in Warsaw. I could be part of a network of people and thanks to this I took part of a working group for processing validation and found my last job position. As I already mentioned, be experienced on JACIE Accreditation is a big help for the Centers that are getting accreditation or re-accreditation.
Do you have any tips or advice for anyone who aspires to become a JACIE Inspector?
Just go, go to the JACIE Inspector course and begin. Then it is only uphill, JACIE is a kind of family, it is important to get knowledge of the process, prepare carefully for the inspection and listen. I think that “listen” is the key word, listen to the transplant center professionals, listen to the others inspectors for a good communication.