Internal audits and management review are required elements within any management system, and both are important to maintaining the health of your organization.
While internal audits and management review differ in their approach and outcomes, both are vitally important to maintaining the health of your organization’s management system.
What is an Internal Audit?
Internal audits bring a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of an organization’s management system. They are independent, objective assurance activities designed to add value and improve an organization’s operations.
Effectively implemented internal audits identify areas for improvement and aid the organization in evaluating risks and opportunities. Reviewing the management system, and laboratory activities, also prepares the laboratory for external assessments. Reporting the results of internal audits facilitates communication of requirements to laboratory personnel and management.
Internal audits provide objective insight into the management system while assessing the existing controls within the management system. Finally, internal audits ensure compliance with standard and regulatory requirements.
What is Management Review?
Management review is the routine evaluation of whether management systems are performing as intended and producing the desired result. Reviewing specific inputs and outputs provides laboratory management an overview of the status of the status of the management system.
There are many benefits to management review. An effective management review determines the operational objectives of the organization and identifies operational improvements. A thorough management review provides insight into the health of the organization.
Management systems require monitoring and auditing for improvement. Internal audits and management review provide the opportunity to uncover issues within your management system and take steps to resolve them proactively.
For more on this topic, view ANAB’s free webcast on the “The DOs and DON’Ts of an Internal Audit and Management Review.”
