A Quality management system needs to address all aspects of laboratory operation to assure accuracy and reliability of results. Credit: WHO/H.M. DiasLaboratory quality is the accuracy, reliability and timeliness of reported test results. The laboratory results must be as accurate as possible, all aspects of the laboratory operations must be reliable, and reporting must be timely in order to be useful in a clinical or public health setting. In a quality management system, all aspects of the laboratory operation, including the organizational structure, processes and procedures, need to be addressed to assure quality.

There are many procedures and processes that are performed in the laboratory, and each of these must be carried out correctly in order to assure accuracy and reliability of testing.