Risk management in clinical laboratory

Risk is potential hazards to the accuracy of laboratory tests.Risk management is the coordination of a series activities to control risks. This article addresses the following issues: how to efficiently identify and manage the potential risks that exist in examination activities throughout the whole process, and summarize the general characteristics from lab risk management, quality management and biosafety management? How to minimize risks that may affect examination results, as well as to ensure the achievements of examination policy, quality objectives and indicators at the same time? Focusing on risk management for multi-factors throughout the whole examination process in clinical lab, this article lists a series of activities adopted in risk management, including plan, process management, risk assessment, risk supervision, risk management audit and documentation for risk management as well. This article will push on improvement of risk management in Chinese clinical lab in a scientific and standard way, so as to perform lab service more efficiently and play an even better role in clinical diagnosis.(Chin J Lab Med, 2015, 38: 589-591) Key words: Laboratories, hospital; Clinical laboratory techniques; Safety management; Quality control; Risk assessment