A beginners guide to quality control in medical labs

A regular day in the lab starts with maintaining instruments, loading reagents, and performing calibration. Measuring patient samples and creating reports are the end results. Where does quality control fit? Everywhere.

Quality is a degree of excellence. Quality control measures how well a system reproduces the same result over time under varying operating conditions. Laboratory quality control encompasses all the processes that eliminate the risk of non-conforming outcomes. It includes systems to safeguard lab results’ accuracy, reliability, and timeliness, ensures early error detection, and provides evidence for corrective actions.

Reliable results contribute to patient safety. Each lab team member plays a critical role in ensuring that reliability. If you’re new to the lab, quality control may feel overwhelming. In this guide, LGC demystifies quality control and examines the essential elements.