This document introduces laboratory quality management systems. It discusses the 12 essential elements of a quality management system including organization, personnel, equipment, purchasing, process control, and more. It provides an overview of the history and development of quality principles from innovators like Shewhart, Deming, and Juran. Standards organizations that guide quality systems for laboratories are also examined, including ISO and CLSI. The document emphasizes that a quality system is necessary to detect and prevent errors in the laboratory testing process.