Mark,

It is an essential element of a comprehensive quality assurance program for
EVERY laboratory to develop and implement a quality assurance plan.  Other
parts of the comprehensive plan should include a competency assessment plan
for all areas, and your job descriptions, task statements, and
essential/marginal performances.

By addressing all 3 areas in a quality assurance plan, you have everything
outlined and documented for inspections, marketing, and internal/external
customer satisfaction.  Our laboratory plan's format is applicable to all labs
throughout the Dept. of Pathology, and is mandated in our departmental
policies and procedures manual.  I would be happy to share any part of it with
anyone interested.

Sue Lewis, BS HTL(ASCP)
Lead Scientist  Anatomic Pathology
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
Iowa City, IA  52242