Customer audits - 17025 requirement?
I have a quick question for the Customer Service Procedure. In your template, you have included a section on "customer requests to monitor laboratory performance". This is basically an audit option for clients to 'come and see for themselves'.
In our case, there isn't really anything to see - it's all data.
Are we required to provide this auditing option, or can we leave it out?
There is also a sentence on demonstrating or explaning in conversation the preparation of items for testing. Again - very relevant if you are a blood sample lab but not for our field work. However, a requirement to explain in conversation how our methods are applied (in this case DFM) and data is treated seems both appropriate and relevant. But this is more to ensure customers understand what we do (how we derive at a result) - and because the methods are new.
We may include something like that - but that's different from a client audit.
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In all cases if a mandatory ISO 17025 requirement is not applicable to your laboratory, you simply state so in that section of your Quality Manual; or the relevant procedure (if you still need a procedure to cover other process that do apply to you).
You spoke of
the customer requests to monitor laboratory performance being an audit option for clients to 'come and see for themselves'.
The customer requests to monitor laboratory performance could involve a request to receive a report on your evaluation of any agreed service and Quality indicator such as turnaround time; or the validity of results -internal quality control and interlaboratory /PT performance.
You need to show that you would accommodate customer requests of this nature, if they arose.
You also mentioned
demonstrating or explaining in conversation the preparation of items for testing
Yes you are correct in your understanding - here, in your case the process is still relevant. The customer may be interested in you explaining some key aspects of the process to them. Doing this will provide them with confidence in the laboratory.
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Nov 04, 2022