Significant changes to AABB Standards: Updated quality system essentials.

In the late 1990s, AABB joined many other accrediting organizations in embracing a quality system approach to setting standards. This change, seen at the time as the new era of standards-setting, was marked by a shift from error detection to error prevention as the main emphasis. AABB termed the framework for this approach "quality system essentials (QSEs)." These QSEs were incorporated into all eight AABB Standards. The QSEs enhanced the existing technical requirements and have been updated regularly since then for all operational areas in which AABB sets standards and provides accreditation.