Integrating Quality Control and Assurance for Reliable Medical Laboratory Diagnostics: Current Practices and Future Perspectives

Abstract

Medical laboratory diagnostics plays a central role in modern healthcare, shaping clinical decisions and patient outcomes. Ensuring reliability, accuracy, and reproducibility of test results requires a systematic integration of quality control (QC) and quality assurance (QA) practices. This review explores the evolution of QC and QA in medical laboratories, highlighting contemporary standards, frameworks, and regulatory guidelines that safeguard diagnostic accuracy. It further examines challenges in maintaining robust quality systems, such as human error, technological variability, and resource limitations, while also considering the transformative role of automation, digital health, and artificial intelligence. By synthesizing current practices with forward-looking perspectives, this paper argues that integrating QC and QA into a unified, adaptive model is essential for sustainable improvement in patient safety, diagnostic trustworthiness, and healthcare efficiency.