Quality Manager - QMS ISO 13485 Specialist

ISO 13485:2016 Quality Management System implementation, maintenance, and certification support for medical device organizations.

Table of Contents

• QMS Implementation Workflow
• Document Control Workflow
• Internal Audit Workflow
• Process Validation Workflow
• Supplier Qualification Workflow
• QMS Process Reference
• Decision Frameworks
• Tools and References

QMS Implementation Workflow

Implement ISO 13485:2016 compliant quality management system from gap analysis through certification.

Workflow: Initial QMS Implementation

1. Conduct gap analysis against ISO 13485:2016 requirements
2. Document current state vs. required state for each clause
3. Prioritize gaps by:
   • Regulatory criticality
   • Risk to product safety
   • Resource requirements
4. Develop implementation roadmap with milestones
5. Establish Quality Manual per Clause 4.2.2:
   • QMS scope with justified exclusions
   • Process interactions
   • Procedure references
6. Create required documented procedures — see Mandatory Documented Procedures for the full list
7. Deploy processes with training
8. Validation: Gap analysis complete; Quality Manual approved; all required procedures documented and trained

Use the Gap Analysis Matrix template in qms-process-templates.md to document clause-by-clause current state, gaps, priority, and actions.

QMS Structure

Document Control Workflow

Establish and maintain document control per ISO 13485 Clause 4.2.3.

Workflow: Document Creation and Approval

1. Identify need for new document or revision
2. Assign document number per numbering convention:
   • Format: [TYPE]-[AREA]-[SEQUENCE]-[REV]
   • Example: SOP-02-001-01
3. Draft document using approved template
4. Route for review to subject matter experts
5. Collect and address review comments
6. Obtain required approvals based on document type
7. Update Document Master List
8. Validation: Document numbered correctly; all reviewers signed; Master List updated

Document Numbering Convention

Area Codes

Document Change Control

Document Review Schedule

Internal Audit Workflow

Plan and execute internal audits per ISO 13485 Clause 8.2.4.

Workflow: Annual Audit Program

1. Identify processes and areas requiring audit coverage
2. Assess risk factors for audit frequency:
   • Previous audit findings
   • Regulatory changes
   • Process changes
   • Complaint trends
3. Assign qualified auditors (independent of area audited)
4. Develop annual audit schedule
5. Obtain management approval
6. Communicate schedule to process owners
7. Track completion and reschedule as needed
8. Validation: All processes covered; auditors qualified and independent; schedule approved

Use the Audit Program Template in qms-process-templates.md to schedule audits by clause and quarter across processes such as Document Control (4.2.3/4.2.4), Management Review (5.6), Design Control (7.3), Production (7.5), and CAPA (8.5.2/8.5.3).

Workflow: Individual Audit Execution

1. Prepare audit plan with scope, criteria, and schedule
2. Notify auditee minimum 1 week prior
3. Review procedures and previous audit results
4. Prepare audit checklist
5. Conduct opening meeting
6. Collect evidence through:
   • Document review
   • Record sampling
   • Process observation
   • Personnel interviews
7. Classify findings:
   • Major NC: Absence or breakdown of system
   • Minor NC: Single lapse or deviation
   • Observation: Risk of future NC
8. Conduct closing meeting
9. Issue audit report within 5 business days
10. Validation: All checklist items addressed; findings supported by evidence; report distributed

Auditor Qualification Requirements

Finding Classification Guide

Process Validation Workflow

Validate special processes per ISO 13485 Clause 7.5.6.

Workflow: Process Validation Protocol

1. Identify processes requiring validation:
   • Output cannot be verified by inspection
   • Deficiencies appear only in use
   • Sterilization, welding, sealing, software
2. Form validation team with subject matter experts
3. Write validation protocol including:
   • Process description and parameters
   • Equipment and materials
   • Acceptance criteria
   • Statistical approach
4. Execute IQ: verify equipment installed correctly and document specifications
5. Execute OQ: test parameter ranges and verify process control
6. Execute PQ: run production conditions and verify output meets requirements
7. Write validation report with conclusions
8. Validation: IQ/OQ/PQ complete; acceptance criteria met; validation report approved

Validation Documentation Requirements

Revalidation Triggers

Special Process Examples

Supplier Qualification Workflow

Evaluate and approve suppliers per ISO 13485 Clause 7.4.

Workflow: New Supplier Qualification

1. Identify supplier category:
   • Category A: Critical (affects safety/performance)
   • Category B: Major (affects quality)
   • Category C: Minor (indirect impact)
2. Request supplier information:
   • Quality certifications
   • Product specifications
   • Quality history
3. Evaluate supplier based on:
   • Quality system (ISO certification)
   • Technical capability
   • Quality history
   • Financial stability
4. For Category A suppliers:
   • Conduct on-site audit
   • Require quality agreement
5. Calculate qualification score
6. Make approval decision:

   • 80: Approved

   • 60-80: Conditional approval
   • <60: Not approved
7. Add to Approved Supplier List
8. Validation: Evaluation criteria scored; qualification records complete; supplier categorized

Supplier Evaluation Criteria

Supplier Category Requirements

Supplier Performance Metrics

QMS Process Reference

For detailed requirements and audit questions for each ISO 13485:2016 clause, see iso13485-clause-requirements.md.

Management Review Required Inputs (Clause 5.6.2)

Record Retention Requirements

⚠️ STATUS — QMSR transition (effective 2026-02-02): FDA's Quality Management System Regulation (QMSR) final rule (89 FR 7496) amended 21 CFR Part 820 to incorporate ISO 13485:2016 by reference and removed the legacy QSR subsection structure. The section numbers below (820.30/.181/.184/.198) no longer exist in the CFR — they are retained only as a familiar index. The current authority for record retention is ISO 13485:2016 §4.2.5 (retain "for at least the lifetime of the medical device as defined by the organization, but not less than two years"), with records additions in retained 21 CFR 820.35. Cite the ISO 13485 clauses — not the 820.x numbers — in current compliance documentation.

Decision discipline: This skill's checklists and tools structure QMS conformity assessment — they do not certify ISO 13485 / QMSR compliance. Final compliance determinations and record-retention decisions are yours to make and must be reviewed and signed off by the named QMR; route FDA-specific regulatory-classification questions to Regulatory Affairs and confirm current 21 CFR 820 / ISO 13485:2016 text at fda.gov before relying on any citation here.

Decision Frameworks

Exclusion Justification (Clause 4.2.2)

Nonconformity Disposition Decision Tree

Nonconforming Product Identified
            │
            ▼
    Can it be reworked?
            │
       Yes──┴──No
        │       │
        ▼       ▼
    Is rework     Can it be used
    procedure     as is?
    available?        │
        │        Yes──┴──No
    Yes─┴─No     │       │
     │    │     ▼       ▼
     ▼    ▼  Concession  Scrap or
  Rework  Create    approval    return to
  per SOP  rework    needed?    supplier
          procedure     │
                    Yes─┴─No
                     │    │
                     ▼    ▼
                 Customer  Use as is
                 approval  with MRB
                          approval

CAPA Initiation Criteria

Tools and References

Scripts

Audit Checklist Generator Features:

• Generate clause-specific checklists (e.g., --clause 7.3)
• Generate process-based checklists (e.g., --process design-control)
• Full system audit checklist (--audit-type system)
• Text or JSON output formats
• Interactive mode for guided selection

References

Quick Reference: Mandatory Documented Procedures

Related Skills