This audioconference is designed to address issues related to both internal and external assessments, and will cover the gamut from establishing an assessment program through follow-up of assessment findings. The development of internal and external assessment programs, including prioritization of scheduling, items to be included, the assessor policy, and the strategy to manage external assessments, will be discussed. The components of pre-assessment preparation, including scope, authoritative documents, assessor selection, and desk audits, will be reviewed. In addition, aspects of the assessments themselves, including sampling, interviewing techniques, conclusions, and writing finding/observations, will be presented. Finally, post-assessment management and the use of the assessment findings will be discussed for both internal and external assessments. How to identify differences in the extent of actions required in response to the findings will be reviewed, as will the differences between corrective action and preventative action and when each is indicated. By the conclusion of the audioconference, sites should have the tools necessary to conduct internal and external assessments that are both effective and valuable.