Consistent quality records procedures document your management accomplishments.
A continuous quality improvement system will not only increase the quality of your business, it can document your accomplishments as a manager. A key step toward a successful quality system is developing an accurate and streamlined quality records management system. The system you design should meet the unique needs of your business. Large scale manufacturing concerns may need to meet the detailed records requirements of the International Organization of Standardization (ISO). Not-for-profit or health agencies may need to work within the confines of their accreditation agencies. If you are managing your own small business, you can use quality improvement system strategies to develop a simple records procedure that fits your needs.
Records
The first step in any quality records management system is to decide which records need to be maintained. You will want to work closely with your regulator, accreditation agency or administration to determine what quality variables you will be measuring. Those quality goals will determine which records you keep. For example, The ISO requires that records be kept for each ISO element listed in your quality system procedure, but they do not require records for general work instructions. Once you determine which records you will be keeping you should record which standard the record documents and where it is filed.
Responsibility
Accurate records management requires clear documentation of who will be responsible for the production and maintenance of the records. If you are keeping digital records or data you will want to document which staff members have password access to view or edit your records. Requiring your documents to be labeled with the date produced, the producer and all revision dates can help keep your records organized.
Security
Quality records must be securely maintained and discarded. Your procedure should clarify how long each record needs to remain in your paper files or your online documentation. If you are keeping online data, you will want to document a backup system in case you lose access to your server. Once the retention date has passed, you will need to document exactly how you will be discarding your records. For example, if your business handles personal health records, you will need to ensure that those records are destroyed in a secure and confidential manner.
Master Record List
Your master record list will contain a list of all of the standards that you are measuring, the records that will document each standard, the filing location of the records, the staff members who are responsible for each record, the retention date for the records and the method of deletion for each record. A well-organized master record list will allow you to quickly and efficiently document your quality improvements.
