Staying compliant while remaining competitive in today’s demanding testing environment takes a great deal more than tidy documentation. The best labs don’t just maintain quality they pursue it every day.
So if you are preparing for your next NATA assessment or seeking to find those elusive activities that will raise the quality the bar across your operation, here are three activities that may well change your operations.
Make your internal audits count
A great audit isn’t about ticking boxes it’s about uncovering insights.
Review your audit schedule to ensure every critical activity, method, and instrument is covered. Focus on areas of change or risk, new staff, updated equipment, or revised methods. Importantly (although perhaps a little daunting), get the auditors to ask why, not just what, to uncover root causes and prevent repeat issues. Make it easier on yourself by using recent assessment findings or complaints to guide your next audit priorities.
Rethink Risk and Opportunities
Risk-based thinking is the backbone of ISO 17025 and ISO 15189 but more often than not, ‘risk registers’ are rarely followed with any consistency.
Identify your top five risks to quality and operational goals be they staff competency, supplier reliability, data integrity, or system downtime. Then document how you’re monitoring and mitigating them and how your data confirms progress or (worse case) regression. Also, and this is more common than you think, don’t overlook opportunities be they automation, smarter workflows, or training that boosts efficiency and morale.
Invest in People, not Just Processes
Your people can make or break your audit outcomes.
The real challenge is keeping that momentum going. Keep training records current and clearly tied to competency requirements. Pair newer staff with experienced mentors to build consistency and confidence. And don’t forget to ask for feedback as those on the frontline often see the smartest, simplest ways to improve. It’s pretty simple, recognise the people who drive quality improvements as a little acknowledgement goes a long way in building ownership and pride.
So, in short, think about quality as a culture, not as a document. Strengthen your audits, manage risk proactively, and empower your people, and your lab will move from reactive compliance to confident excellence.