Get Basic Lessons In Laboratory Quality Control

There are three phases of laboratory testing: Pre-analytical (pre-testing phase) Analytical (testing phase) Post-analytical (post-testing or reporting phase)

There are two kinds of process, Internal Quality Control (IQC) and External Quality Assessment (EQA). Each day laboratories analyse IQC materials with known concentrations of specific substances to ensure, in real time, that they are producing reliable results.

QC is part of the quality management system and is used to monitor the examination (analytic) phase of testing.

In the laboratory, quality assurance involves the entire testing process: pre-analytical, analytical (testing), post-analytical processes, and staff performance.

Laboratory quality control is all the measures put in place to eliminate the risk of non-conforming outcomes. It involves systems that safeguard the accuracy, reliability, and timeliness of lab results by ensuring the early detection of results or measurement errors and the procedures to rectify them.

Box 11.1Three Phases of Laboratory Testing Preanalytical phase. Selecting the appropriate test, obtaining the specimen, labeling it with the patient's name, providing timely transport to the laboratory, registering receipt in the laboratory, and processing before testing. Analytical phase. ... Postanalytical phase.

The three phase system includes the preparatory, initial, and follow-up phases of quality control.

Two types of QC can be distinguished—'internal' and 'external'. Internal QC comprises procedures that are introduced within the field laboratory.