Tips and Tricks for Improving Your Quality Audit Skills with the EN Quality Audit Manual For Healthcare Manufacturers And Their Suppliers, Fifth Edition, Software Pa
EN Quality Audit Manual For Healthcare Manufacturers And Their Suppliers, Fifth Edition, Software Pa: A Comprehensive Guide For Ensuring Compliance And Quality
If you are a healthcare manufacturer or a supplier of products or services to the healthcare industry, you know how important it is to comply with the various regulations, standards, and guidelines that govern your activities. You also know how challenging it can be to maintain a high level of quality in your processes, products, and services. That's why you need a reliable and practical tool that can help you plan, perform, report, and follow up on quality audits.
EN Quality Audit Manual For Healthcare Manufacturers and Their Suppliers, Fifth Edition, Software Pa
One such tool is the EN Quality Audit Manual For Healthcare Manufacturers And Their Suppliers, Fifth Edition, Software Pa. This manual is a comprehensive resource that provides you with everything you need to conduct effective quality audits in accordance with the relevant FDA regulations, EC directives and guidelines, ISO standards, and best practices. It covers all aspects of quality audit purpose and practice, as well as providing detailed checklists for various types of audits. Whether you are an internal or external auditor, a manufacturer or a supplier, a device or a drug company, a software developer or a general supplier, this manual will help you ensure compliance and quality in your operations.
In this article, we will give you an overview of the main features and benefits of this manual, as well as a summary of its contents. We will also provide you with some tips and recommendations on how to use this manual effectively and improve your quality audit skills. By the end of this article, you will have a clear understanding of what this manual can do for you and how to get the most out of it.
Part I: Quality Audit Purpose and Practice
The first part of this manual explains the fundamentals of quality audit purpose and practice. It covers the following topics:
Regulatory Considerations
This section gives you an overview of the regulatory framework that applies to healthcare manufacturers and their suppliers. It covers the following regulations, directives, standards, and guidelines:
FDA regulations: These are the rules and requirements issued by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that govern the safety, effectiveness, quality, and labeling of medical devices and drugs in the US market. They include the Quality System Regulation (QSR) for medical devices, the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) for drugs, and the Quality System Inspection Technique (QSIT) for FDA inspections.
EC directives and guidelines: These are the laws and recommendations issued by the European Commission (EC) that regulate the design, manufacture, distribution, and use of medical devices and drugs in the European Union (EU) market. They include the Medical Device Directive (MDD), the In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Device Directive (IVDD), the Active Implantable Medical Device Directive (AIMDD), the Medicinal Products Directive (MPD), and the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) guidelines.
ISO standards: These are the international standards developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) that specify the requirements and best practices for quality management systems, risk management, auditing, and other aspects of quality assurance. They include ISO 9001, ISO 13485, ISO 14971, ISO 19011, and ISO 17025.
This section also explains how these regulations, directives, standards, and guidelines relate to each other and how they affect your quality audit activities.
Quality Audits
This section defines what quality audits are and why they are important for healthcare manufacturers and their suppliers. It covers the following topics:
Types of audits: This section describes the different types of audits that you may encounter or perform, such as internal audits, external audits, supplier audits, contractor audits, product audits, process audits, system audits, compliance audits, performance audits, etc. It also explains the advantages and disadvantages of each type of audit.
Audit objectives and scope: This section explains how to define the objectives and scope of an audit, such as what to audit, why to audit, who to audit, when to audit, where to audit, how to audit, etc. It also provides examples of audit objectives and scope statements.
Audit planning and preparation: This section describes how to plan and prepare for an audit, such as how to select an audit team, how to review relevant documents and records, how to develop an audit plan and checklist, how to communicate with the auditee, how to arrange logistics, etc. It also provides examples of audit plans and checklists.
Audit performance and reporting: This section explains how to perform and report an audit, such as how to conduct an opening meeting, how to collect evidence, how to interview auditees, how to identify findings, how to document observations, how to conduct a closing meeting, how to write an audit report, etc. It also provides examples of audit reports.
Part II: Quality Audit Checklists
The second part of this manual provides you with a complete set of quality audit checklists for various types of audits. These checklists are based on the relevant FDA regulations, EC directives and guidelines, ISO standards, and best practices. They cover all the aspects and criteria that you need to evaluate during an audit. They also include references to the sources of the requirements and recommendations.
The quality audit checklists in this part are:
Internal Device Manufacturer/Developer Audit Checklist: This checklist is for auditing the quality system of an internal device manufacturer or developer. It covers the following areas: management responsibility, quality policy and objectives, quality manual and procedures, document and data control, purchasing and supplier control, identification and traceability, production and process control, inspection and testing, control of nonconforming product, corrective and preventive action, handling, storage, packaging, preservation, and delivery, installation and servicing, records, internal quality audits, training, statistical techniques.
Internal Drug Manufacturer/Developer Audit Checklist: This checklist is for auditing the quality system of an internal drug manufacturer or developer. It covers the following areas: management responsibility, quality policy and objectives, quality manual and procedures, document and data control, purchasing and supplier control, identification and traceability, production and process control, validation of processes and equipment, laboratory controls and testing, stability testing, control of nonconforming product, corrective and preventive action, handling, storage, packaging, preservation, and delivery, records, internal quality audits, training.
Contract Device Manufacturer/Developer Audit Checklist: This checklist is for auditing the quality system of a contract device manufacturer or developer. It covers the same areas as the internal device manufacturer/developer audit checklist.
Contract Drug Manufacturer/Developer Audit Checklist: This checklist is for auditing the quality system of a contract drug manufacturer or developer. It covers the same areas as the internal drug manufacturer/developer audit checklist.
Contract Software Developer Audit Checklist: This checklist is for auditing the quality system of a contract software developer. It covers the following areas: management responsibility, quality policy and objectives, quality manual and procedures, document and data control, software development life cycle, software requirements and specifications, software design and architecture, software coding and testing, software verification and validation, software configuration management, software change control, software release and delivery, software maintenance and support, records, internal quality audits, training.
General Supplier Audit Checklist: This checklist is for auditing the quality system of a general supplier of products or services to the healthcare industry. It covers the following areas: management responsibility, quality policy and objectives, quality manual and procedures, document and data control, purchasing and supplier control, identification and traceability, inspection and testing, control of nonconforming product or service, corrective and preventive action, handling, storage, packaging, preservation, and delivery, records, internal quality audits, training.
Bulk Chemical Supplier Audit Checklist: This checklist is for auditing the quality system of a bulk chemical supplier to the healthcare industry. It covers the same areas as the general supplier audit checklist, plus additional areas such as: chemical identity and purity testing, chemical stability testing, chemical safety data sheets (SDS), chemical labeling and packaging.
Printed Material Supplier Audit Checklist: This checklist is for auditing the quality system of a printed material supplier to the healthcare industry. It covers the same areas as the general supplier audit checklist, plus additional areas such as: printed material design and layout approval, printed material proofreading and verification, printed material printing and finishing.
Electronic Component Supplier Audit Checklist: This checklist is for auditing the quality system of an electronic component supplier to the healthcare industry. It covers the same areas as the general supplier audit checklist, plus additional areas such as: electronic component design and specifications, electronic component testing and inspection, electronic component reliability and safety.
QSIT Audit (New FDA Inspection Approach) for Medical Devices Checklist: This checklist is for auditing the quality system of a medical device manufacturer or developer using the QSIT approach. QSIT stands for Quality System Inspection Technique, which is a new method of FDA inspection that focuses on four major subsystems of the quality system: management controls, design controls, corrective and preventive actions (CAPA), and production and process controls. This checklist covers the following areas: management responsibility, quality policy and objectives, quality manual and procedures, document and data control, design and development planning, design input, design output, design review, design verification, design validation, design transfer, design changes, design history file (DHF), device master record (DMR), device history record (DHR), purchasing and supplier control, identification and traceability, production and process control, validation of processes and equipment, inspection and testing, control of nonconforming product, corrective and preventive action (CAPA), handling, storage, packaging, preservation, and delivery, installation and servicing, records, internal quality audits, training.
QSIT Audit (New FDA Inspection Approach) For Drug Company Checklist: This checklist is for auditing the quality system of a drug company using the QSIT approach. It covers the same areas as the QSIT audit for medical devices checklist, plus additional areas such as: drug substance and drug product specifications, drug stability testing, drug labeling and packaging.
New Product Market Launch Checklist: This checklist is for auditing the readiness of a new product for market launch. It covers the following areas: product design and development, product validation and verification, product registration and approval, product manufacturing and distribution, product marketing and promotion, product training and support.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the EN Quality Audit Manual For Healthcare Manufacturers And Their Suppliers, Fifth Edition, Software Pa is a valuable tool that can help you conduct effective quality audits in accordance with the relevant regulations, standards, and guidelines. It provides you with a comprehensive set of quality audit checklists for various types of audits, as well as a thorough explanation of quality audit purpose and practice. By using this manual, you can ensure compliance and quality in your processes, products, and services.
If you are interested in getting this manual or learning more about it, you can visit the website of the publisher or contact the author directly. You can also check out some of the other resources and publications related to quality auditing and quality management in the healthcare industry.
We hope you enjoyed this article and found it useful. If you have any questions or feedbacks, please feel free to leave a comment below or contact us directly. We would love to hear from you and help you with your quality audit needs.
FAQs
Here are some of the frequently asked questions about quality auditing and this manual:
What is the difference between GMP and ISO?
GMP stands for Good Manufacturing Practice, which is a set of guidelines issued by various regulatory authorities (such as FDA and EC) that specify the minimum requirements for ensuring the quality of medical devices and drugs. ISO stands for International Organization for Standardization, which is an international body that develops and publishes various standards for quality management systems and other aspects of quality assurance. ISO standards are voluntary and can be adopted by any organization that wants to improve its quality performance.
How can I get a copy of this manual?
You can get a copy of this manual by visiting the website of the publisher or contacting the author directly. You can also access an online version of this manual through CRCnetBASE, which is an online platform that provides access to thousands of books and journals in various fields.
How often should I conduct quality audits?
The frequency of quality audits depends on several factors, such as the type and size of your organization, the nature and complexity of your processes, products, and services, the level of risk and impact on customer satisfaction and safety, the results of previous audits and corrective actions, the requirements of regulatory authorities and customers, etc. Generally, you should conduct quality audits at least once a year or more frequently if needed.
What are the common pitfalls to avoid when performing quality audits?
Some of the common pitfalls to avoid when performing quality audits are:
Being unprepared or unprofessional: You should always plan and prepare for an audit in advance, review the relevant documents and records, develop an audit plan and checklist, communicate with the auditee, arrange logistics, etc. You should also behave professionally and ethically during an audit, respect the auditee's time and privacy, avoid conflicts of interest and bias, follow the audit standards and procedures, etc.
Being too rigid or too lenient: You should always follow the audit objectives and scope, use objective evidence and criteria, identify findings and observations accurately and consistently, report them clearly and objectively, etc. You should not deviate from the audit plan or checklist without a valid reason, ignore or overlook important issues or evidence, make assumptions or judgments without verification, accept excuses or explanations without evidence, etc.
Being too confrontational or too friendly: You should always maintain a professional and respectful relationship with the auditee, communicate effectively and diplomatically, ask open-ended and probing questions, listen actively and attentively, provide constructive feedback and recommendations, etc. You should not be aggressive or hostile, argue or debate with the auditee, criticize or blame the auditee personally or emotionally, etc. You should also not be too friendly or casual, compromise your independence or objectivity, accept gifts or favors from the auditee, disclose confidential information to the auditee, etc.
Being too superficial or too detailed: You should always cover all the relevant areas and criteria of the audit, collect sufficient and reliable evidence, identify and report all the significant findings and observations, etc. You should not be too superficial or general, miss or skip important areas or criteria, rely on hearsay or opinions, overlook or minimize serious issues or risks, etc. You should also not be too detailed or specific, waste time or resources on trivial or irrelevant areas or criteria, collect excessive or unnecessary evidence, report minor or insignificant issues or observations, etc.
How can I improve my quality audit skills?
Some of the ways to improve your quality audit skills are:
Getting trained and certified: You should get formal training and certification in quality auditing and quality management from reputable organizations such as ASQ (American Society for Quality), IRCA (International Register of Certificated Auditors), RABQSA (Registrar Accreditation Board Quality Society of Australasia), etc. These organizations offer various courses and exams that cover the theory and practice of quality auditing and quality management.
Getting experience and feedback: You should get practical experience and feedback in quality auditing and quality management by performing audits in different settings and situations, working with different auditors and auditees, participating in audit reviews and evaluations, etc. You should also seek feedback from your peers, managers, customers, regulators, and other stakeholders on your audit performance and results, and use it to improve your skills and knowledge.
Getting updated and informed: You should get updated and informed on the latest developments and trends in quality auditing and quality management by reading books, journals, magazines, newsletters, blogs, websites, etc. that cover these topics. You should also attend seminars, workshops, conferences, webinars, etc. that offer new insights and best practices in quality auditing and quality management.
Getting involved and networked: You should get involved and networked with other quality professionals and organizations that share your interest and passion for quality auditing and quality management. You should join and participate in professional associations, societies, clubs, forums, groups, etc. that offer opportunities for learning, sharing, collaborating, mentoring, etc. in quality auditing and quality management.
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