An effective internal audit program is indispensable for continuous improvement

[Adam Fleming]

Both the ISO and the FDA require an internal audit program of an organization’s Quality Management Systems. This is a core requirement. The simplest way to understand an internal audit system is that it is a tool to assess or inspect an organization’s Quality System.

Apart from helping organizations to fulfill the requirements of auditing set out by the ISO and the FDA and other regulatory bodies, audits, be they internal or external; carry manifold advantages. These are some of them:

o  Organizations can apply best practices relevant to their industry through audits

o  Audits help organizations to identify where they need to improve

o  Audits play a stellar role in ensuring the quality of products, which leads to enhance customer satisfaction

o  They help organizations to take preventive actions with which bigger problems can be checked

Most organizations think of audits as an unpleasant duty

Although internal and external audits are considered so useful; it is a fact that most organizations carry them out only because it is thrust upon them. Most companies lack the conviction and volition for an audit, and drag their feet when it comes to this important task. The many benefits of an audit program are usually overlooked by 75% of companies.

What happens to organizations that are not diligent when it comes to carrying out audits? They are sure to receive penal actions from the FDA, which range from Warning Letters, 483’s to penalties to Consent Decree.

Learning session on ways of getting internal audits right

In order to help organizations get their internal and external audits right, Compliance4All, a leading provider of professional trainings for all the areas of regulatory compliance, will be organizing a webinar. The purpose of this session is to help professionals who need to carry out an internal audit for their organization, get it right.

The speaker at this seminar is Susanne Manz, Quality and Compliance Expert/Auditor for Medical Devices, Manz Consulting, Inc., who is an accomplished leader in the medical device industry with emphasis on quality, compliance, and Six Sigma. Participants that want to get a clear and total understanding of the rationale for carrying out audits and of the ways for get them right can enroll for this webinar by visiting http://www.compliance4all.com/control/w_product/~product_id=501303L...

An explanation of the ins and outs of auditing

Susanne will equip participants with the knowledge needed for audit professionals in organizations to put an effective and compliant audit program in place. She will help them understand what it takes to carry out a solid and thorough quality audit program that meets regulatory requirements by first being able to identify the red flags. This is the groundwork for understanding, reducing and communicating risks associated with quality and compliance.

Susanne will cover the following areas at this session:

o  Using a structured program to identify areas of risk leading to an effective audit strategy

o  How to develop a meaningful structure of audit, oversight, transparent communication, and escalation to management review

o  How to ensure your audit staff is well trained to proactively identify, communicate, and escalate issues

o  How a culture of quality and compliance can encourage clear and transparent communication of risk

o  How to prioritize, resource, and implement corrective actions

o  Tools for monitoring and communicating risk and improvement over time

o  How to identify residual risk

o  Monitoring and Controlling progress over time

o  Signs that your company culture is taking unnecessary compliance or quality risk

o  How to ensure management gets valuable information from your audit program

o  How to prioritize, resource, and implement corrective actions

o  Tools for monitoring and communicating risk and improvement over time.