Laboratory Quality Control — Ensuring Result Reliability

What Is Laboratory Quality Control?

Laboratory quality control comprises the systematic processes designed to ensure that laboratory test results are accurate, precise, and reliable. It is a fundamental pillar of clinical laboratory practice and an essential requirement for accreditation under standards such as ISO 15189.

Internal quality control (internal QC) involves running control samples daily, plotting results on Levey-Jennings charts, and applying Westgard rules to detect systematic or random errors. When a rule is violated, the laboratory must investigate the cause before releasing patient results.

External quality control (EQA or proficiency testing) complements internal QC by comparing the laboratory's results with those of other laboratories analyzing the same samples. A modern LIS automates QC data tracking, rule violation alerts, and corrective actions, reducing errors and improving efficiency.

Why It Matters in Healthcare

• Diagnostic reliability: Ensures that results underlying clinical decisions are accurate and reproducible.
• Accreditation: ISO 15189 requires a documented QC program as a prerequisite for laboratory accreditation.
• Patient safety: Detects analytical errors before an incorrect result reaches the treating physician.
• Continuous improvement: QC trend analysis identifies problems before they affect patient results.
• Analyzer integration: Analyzer integration enables automatic QC data capture directly from instruments.
• Result validation: Complements result validation processes for a robust analytical workflow.

How Davix Relates to Laboratory Quality Control

• The Davix LIS includes QC modules with Levey-Jennings charts and integrated Westgard rule engines.
• It automates alerts when rule violations are detected, preventing the release of potentially erroneous results.
• It integrates with external quality assessment (EQA) programs for comprehensive quality control.
• It supports over 200 analyzer integrations, capturing QC data directly from instruments.

Ensure your laboratory's quality with the Davix LIS. Request a demo to explore our quality control modules.