Comprehensive Report: Quality Assurance, Control, and TQM in Pathology

This report examines the concepts of Quality Assurance (QA), Quality Control (QC), and Total Quality Management (TQM) within the context of a pathology laboratory, specifically using the RMIT Pathology lab as a practical example. It defines QA as a systematic process ensuring quality standards, emphasizing documentation through test plans and inspections. QC is presented as the operational techniques used to meet quality standards, involving physical verification. TQM is explained as a procedure to enhance quality and performance, leading to increased client satisfaction, considering all levels of the company and employee involvement. The report highlights practical applications, such as testing reagents before use and providing students with control samples. It emphasizes the significance of meticulous documentation for tracking and analysis, as well as the lab's approach to teaching students stain result management and error prevention. The report concludes by reinforcing the interrelated nature of QA, QC, and TQM for achieving quality outcomes in a laboratory setting.

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Quality Assurance, Quality Control, and Total Quality Management
Quality Assurance, (QA) is defined as those activities that are systematic and planned,
which are implemented inside a quality system that can assert surety of a product or service
fulfilling the required standards for quality (1). It is the fundamental process undertaken
especially through documentation of product or service assurance. This process involves such
things as test plans, quality plans and most importantly, inspection.
On the other hand, Quality Control (QC) is a physical process including operational
techniques and primary activities that are mostly utilized to satisfy the required standards for
quality (1). Quality Control involves the physical verification to determine whether or not the
product or service meets all the guidelines of inspection, criteria, and measurement etc.
Total Quality Management (TQM), refers to the procedure used to improve quality and
performance which in the end leads to increased client satisfaction in a product or service (2).
TQM considers all quality measures at all levels of the company and may also involve the
employees within the enterprise.
Example of Practices at Work Place
Quality Assurances, Quality Control and the Total Quality Management, are everyday
practiced at the work places to determine and enhance the quality of goods and services (3). For
instance, at RMIT Pathology lab, we have first to test the quality of the stain, before we have to
give it to the students for staining their tissue. That is, if we put to use an entirely new reagent as
haematoxylin or another one as eosin, then we have to test them by staining some tissues with
the new reagents to make sure they work in unison. Additionally, we give the students both the

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positive and negative control for each stain they are going to perform, to enable them to check
their stain results independently.
Since Quality Assurance and the Quality Control depend on stringent verification criteria,
we at RMIT lab consider documentation as a very significant activity. Documenting every event
keeps important records that can be tracked for reference and future analysis. It is a crucial part
of the quality assurance that informs on decision making and how the research or experiments
are conducted (4).
Documentation is taken as a governing measure, such that, we have to note the date when
preparing a new solution. Secondly, we have to indicate the name of the solution correctly and
finally and very important, the name of the individual in charge of the preparation of that
solution. Through such documentation process then we can tell exactly the real date of
preparation of the solution, and the person who prepared it, in case of anomalies. It is also
important to note that, since we are a teaching lab, it is indeed difficult to determine the Total
Quality Management as it can be precisely determined in elaborate organizations like hospitals.
Unlike TQM, quality assurance and quality control have one common characteristic, and that is
doing the work in the right way (5).
Regarding measures and potential failures, RMIT equips the students with the best skills
in stain results management. We point out to them the possible faults and comprehensively offer
solutions to those particular errors in the process. The pathology lab teaches the students very
well in hematoxylin and eosin stains. Furthermore, the possible faults that can frequently occur
such as over-staining or under-staining are explained and measures on how to avoid them
provided.

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In conclusion, RMIT lab has taken all the necessary steps and measures in ensuring
quality and assurance in their activities. Laboratories are sensitive places, therefore, handling
every procedure with care and following all the quality assurance and quality control measures
leads to quality results. Hence, Quality assurance, Quality control and Total Quality
Management are all interrelated elements that must be adhered to for quality results at work.

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REFERENCES
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1. QM001. Difference Between Quality Assurance And Quality Control. The summary of
discussions at QualityGurus.com. 2011.
2. Martin Murray. Total Quality Management (TQM) And Quality Improvement. The balance.
2017 April. Available at: https://www.thebalance.com/total-quality-management-tqm-
2221200
3. Haithcoat T. QA/QC and Risk Management. The University of Missouri.
4. Research Information Network. Quality Assurance and Assessment of Scholarly Research. A
guide for researchers, academic administrators, and librarians. 2010 May.
5. K. Foote & J. Olsen. Weatherization Assistance Program: Quality Assurance Versus Quality
Control. US Department of Energy.
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