Quality control in clinical chemistry: the essential steps

Assurance of the quality or reliability of test results is the responsibility of the laboratory and the concern of the veterinarian who uses these results in the diagnosis or treatment of animal patients. Quality assurance can be produced only by implementation and continuing maintenance of a quality control program to monitor the daily performance of the laboratory. Quality control programs usually are multifaceted and may be comprised of one or several optional components. An essential ingredient in any program designed to provide quality assurance is the "quality-awareness" of those who perform the tests or make clinical use of the test results.