The German Society for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, DGKL for short, is an organization that remains invisible to many people in everyday life – and yet it has a major influence on how well we receive medical care in Germany. It ensures that laboratory tests are reliable, modern and accurate.

What is the DGKL?

The DGKL is a specialist society that was actually founded in 1971. It brings together experts in laboratory medicine – people who are familiar with blood tests, urinalysis and other laboratory tests. Its aim is to ensure the quality of these tests and to promote laboratory medicine in Germany. This includes doctors, scientists and other specialists who work or conduct research in laboratories. The DGKL is therefore not an authority, but a voluntary community that is committed to improving medicine.

What does the DGKL do?

The work of the DGKL has many facets. For example, it ensures that laboratories use uniform standards. This means that a blood test in Hamburg should be just as reliable as one in Munich. To this end, the DGKL develops guidelines on how tests should be carried out and evaluated. It also organizes training courses so that laboratory physicians are always up to date – for example, when new technologies or diseases such as corona emerge.

Another point is research: the DGKL supports studies that develop new tests or better methods. It organizes conferences at which experts exchange ideas and publishes specialist journals. It also works with other institutions, such as the Robert Koch Institute, to get involved in major health issues such as pandemics.

Why is the DGKL important for patient care?

For patients, the DGKL may seem far away, but its work has a direct impact. Imagine you have your blood sugar tested because you are often thirsty. The doctor needs a result he can rely on to decide whether you have diabetes or not. The DGKL ensures that the test is carried out correctly and that the result is accurate. Without its standards, laboratories could use different methods and the results would be less comparable – which would make diagnosis more difficult.

The DGKL also helps to bring new possibilities into practice. One example: in the past, cancer could often only be detected late. Today, thanks to research funded by organizations such as the DGKL, there are tests that can detect tumours earlier. For patients, this means faster diagnoses and better chances of recovery. The DGKL also ensures that doctors can precisely adjust treatment for chronic diseases such as diabetes or heart problems by using precise laboratory values.

Another advantage is the speed. In Germany, patients often receive laboratory results within a day – sometimes even within hours. This is because the DGKL helps to ensure that laboratories are well organized and technically up to date. In emergencies, such as a heart attack, this can save lives.

What would happen without the DGKL?

Without an organization like the DGKL, the quality of laboratory medicine could fluctuate. Some laboratories could use outdated methods, others could make mistakes that nobody notices. For patients, this would mean less confidence in their results and perhaps incorrect treatments. Progress would also be slower – new tests that detect diseases early would take longer to become part of everyday life. The DGKL is therefore like an invisible helper who ensures that everything runs smoothly.

Conclusion

The DGKL is an important building block in German healthcare. It ensures that laboratory tests are reliable, that doctors get the right answers quickly and that patients receive the best possible treatment. Its work makes medicine more precise, faster and safer – and we all feel that, even if we may never hear the name DGKL. Whether it’s a routine check or a serious diagnosis: thanks to the DGKL, we can rely on laboratory medicine not to let us down.

Matching:

Position paper: DGKL presents national strategic plan for laboratory medicine – MedLabPortal

Editorial office: X-Press Journalistenbüro GbR

Gender note. The personal designations used in this text always refer equally to female, male and diverse persons. Double/triple references and gendered designations are avoided for the sake of better readability ected.