A clinical diagnostic system comprising - a sample preparation module for the automated preparation of samples, - a liquid chromatography (LC) separation module coupled to the sample preparation module via a sample preparation/LC interface , - a mass spectrometer (MS) module coupled to the LC separation module via an LC/MS interface , - a result calculation module for identifying and/or quantifying analytes or substances of interest contained in the samples and passed through the LC separation module and the MS module , characterized in that the clinical diagnostic system further comprises - a controller programmed to ∘ monitor a predetermined set of operational parameters (1-n) indicative of a performance status of the clinical diagnostic system ; ∘ trigger a quality control procedure and/or a maintenance procedure whenever one or more parameters (1-n) of the predetermined set of operational parameters (1-n) is out of specification; and ∘ minimize the quality control and/or maintenance procedures as long as the set of operational parameters (1-n) remains within specification, wherein the predetermined set of operational parameters (1-n) comprises a first subset based on data from the result calculation module and a second subset based on raw data from the sample preparation module , LC separation module and MS module ; wherein the controller , following a passed quality control procedure, is programmed to trigger one or more of a further quality control procedure and/or maintenance procedure whenever one or more parameters (1-n) of the first subset of operational parameters (1-n) is out of specification, and to minimize further quality control and/or maintenance procedures as long as the first subset of operational parameters (1-n) remains within specification; and wherein, whenever one or more parameters (1-n) of the first subset of operational parameters (1-n) is out of specification, the controller is programmed to check the raw data of the second subset of operational parameters (1-n) and to trigger one or more of a further quality control procedure and/or maintenance procedure whenever one or more parameters (1-n) of the second subset of operational parameters (1-n) is out of specification, and to minimize further quality and/or maintenance procedures as long as the second subset of operational parameters (1-n) remains within specification. - a sample preparation module for the automated preparation of samples, - a liquid chromatography (LC) separation module coupled to the sample preparation module via a sample preparation/LC interface , - a mass spectrometer (MS) module coupled to the LC separation module via an LC/MS interface , - a result calculation module for identifying and/or quantifying analytes or substances of interest contained in the samples and passed through the LC separation module and the MS module , characterized in that the clinical diagnostic system further comprises - a controller programmed to ∘ monitor a predetermined set of operational parameters (1-n) indicative of a performance status of the clinical diagnostic system ; ∘ trigger a quality control procedure and/or a maintenance procedure whenever one or more parameters (1-n) of the predetermined set of operational parameters (1-n) is out of specification; and ∘ minimize the quality control and/or maintenance procedures as long as the set of operational parameters (1-n) remains within specification, ∘ monitor a predetermined set of operational parameters (1-n) indicative of a performance status of the clinical diagnostic system ; ∘ trigger a quality control procedure and/or a maintenance procedure whenever one or more parameters (1-n) of the predetermined set of operational parameters (1-n) is out of specification; and ∘ minimize the quality control and/or maintenance procedures as long as the set of operational parameters (1-n) remains within specification, <EOS>