Six sigma concepts provide a quality management system (QMS) with many useful tools for managing quality in medical laboratories. This Six Sigma QMS is driven by the quality required for the intended use of a test. The most useful form for this quality requirement is the allowable total error. Calculation of a sigma-metric provides the best predictor of risk for an analytical examination proces...

In planning the internal organization of central laboratories, the future needs for clinical chemistry in hospitals must be considered. For the next decade the medical laboratory will primarily be concerned with the interpretation of laboratory data and with organizational problems, such as sample identification, specimen splitting and especially the timing of its service. The consequences for ...

The International Standard Organization (ISO) 15189 accreditation has raised new enthusiasm among laboratory professionals. On the one hand, it satisfies the desire to undertake a pathway attesting the high degree of quality of laboratory performance measured according to the important role of Laboratory Medicine throughout patient care. On the other hand, it allows demonstrating how the compet...