Assuring the quality of clinical microbiology test results.

The role of microbiology laboratories in the care of patients with suspected or known infections has been described in previous articles in this series of medical microbiology updates. This review addresses the broader role of clinical microbiology laboratories in the quality of care and patient safety. The importance of microbiology laboratories in the care of patients with infectious diseases is obvious, but microbiology laboratories also play an indirect role in patient care that, from a broader perspective, is equally important.