Quality Assessment Laboratory Operations Review 46
TERM EXPLANATION
Quality assessment or quality
assurance (QA)
Preanalytical QA
Analytical QA
Postanalytical QA
Quality system
Process by which lab ensures quality results by closely monitoring preanalytical, analytical, &
postanalytical stages of testing.
Everything that precedes test performance, e.g., test ordering, patient preparation, patient ID,
specimen collection, specimen transport, specimen processing.
Everything related to assay, e.g., test analysis, QC, reagents, calibration, preventive maintenance.
Everything that comes after test analysis, e.g., verification of calculations & reference ranges, review
of results, notification of critical values, result reporting, test interpretation by physician, follow-up
patient care.
All of the lab’s policies, processes, procedures, & resources needed to achieve quality testing.
