Management Review in NABL Accredited Labs — How to Run One Effectively

The management review is the top-level review of your laboratory’s quality management system performance. ISO 15189:2022 requires at least one formal management review per year — but what should it actually cover?

Many labs treat management review as a formality — a meeting to tick the accreditation box. Done properly, management review is the most powerful tool for strategic quality improvement available to lab leadership.

Mandatory Management Review Inputs (ISO 15189:2022)

• Results of internal audits
• Customer feedback (complaints, satisfaction surveys)
• Process performance and conformity of products and services
• Status of preventive and corrective actions
• Adequacy of resources
• Risk assessment results
• EQA and proficiency testing performance
• Changes in external context (new standards, regulatory requirements)
• Follow-up from previous management reviews

Management Review Outputs

• Decisions on improvement opportunities
• Decisions on changes needed in the QMS
• Resource allocation decisions
• Review and (if needed) update of quality objectives

Who Should Attend?

At minimum: Lab Director, Quality Manager, Heads of each testing department, and any relevant support department heads. The Lab Director must chair or actively participate — not delegate entirely to the Quality Manager.

How Long Should It Take?

A thorough management review for a small-medium lab typically takes 2–4 hours. For large labs or hospitals, it may take 4–8 hours. Don’t rush it — the quality of discussion and decisions is what matters.