The Best In Pathology, Laboratory Quality, Proficiency Testing, Technology & Patient Safety

This week, the College of American Pathologists (CAP) released a list of its longest accredited laboratories in the United States. These 41 laboratories have continuously met the highest standards of laboratory quality and proficiency testing since the CAP began its Laboratory Accreditation Program in 1964, ensuring that patients are receiving the best medical care and most accurate diagnosis and treatment possible.

Why This is a Big Deal

Ever wonder what happens to your blood and tissue samples between the time they are taken and seeing those results in your pathology report?

Pathologists are on the cutting edge of medicine, diagnosis and treatment. Their work is often the most crucial piece in understanding viruses, infections and disease, making accurate diagnoses and working side-by-side with the health care team in recommending the best treatments. A more precise diagnosis means a faster, more accurate treatment, putting patients on the road to recovery sooner.

"For the best testing and diagnosis, pathologists, and laboratory technicians need to meet the highest standards of laboratory quality and proficiency testing set by the College of American Pathologists," said R. Bruce Williams MD, FCAP, CAP president. "To achieve this standard, and maintain it, for more than 50 years is a momentous achievement because CAP accreditation is an incredibly rigorous, ongoing process."

It's an Exciting Time in Pathology

Digital Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Liquid Biopsy and Precision Medicine are on their cusp and pathologists are helping to lead the way in their development, study and use, to improve testing, diagnosis and patient outcomes. To consistently meet the high standards of CAP accreditation, these laboratories prove that they are using the latest technologies and best practices to deliver faster, more accurate results for better patient care every day.

"Patients are the CAP's number one priority, and we equip our member laboratories with the knowledge, skills, and resources to remain current and relevant in an evolving health care landscape. We're changing lives by presenting patients with the answers they need to guide their care," said Dr. Williams.

Each of the 41 CAP longest accredited laboratories has continued to meet the CAP's rigorous standards and requirements, for more than 50 years. These standards and requirements help laboratories stay in compliance with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regulations for quality testing. CMS regulates all laboratory testing (except research) performed on humans in the U.S. through the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA). The laboratories are:

• Austin State Hospital-Regional Clinical Laboratory at Austin State Hospital (Austin, TX)
• Baptist Hospital – Laboratory (Pensacola, FL)
• Baton Rouge General Medical Center – Mid City Laboratory (Baton Rouge, LA)
• Baylor Scott & White Medical Center Temple – Memorial Laboratory (Temple, TX)
• Blount Memorial Hospital – Laboratory (Maryville, TN)
• Brooke Army Medical Center – Department of Pathology and Area Laboratory Services (San Antonio, TX)
• Charleston Area Medical Center – Memorial Hospital Laboratory (Charleston, WV)
• CHI St. Luke's Health Baylor College of Medicine Medical Center – Pathology Department Laboratory (Houston, TX)
• Christiana Care Health Services Inc – Wilmington Hospital – Main Laboratory (Wilmington, DE)
• CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital - Medical Center – Laboratory (San Antonio, TX)
• Cleveland Clinic - Main Laboratory (Cleveland, OH)
• Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center – Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital Laboratory (Lebanon, NH)
• Dynacare Swedish Medical Center – First Hill Laboratory (Seattle, WA)
• Houston Methodist Hospital – Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine Lab (Houston, TX)
• Jackson-Madison County General Hospital Laboratory (Jackson, TN)
• Jackson Memorial Hospital – Main Laboratory (Miami, FL)
• Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings Birmingham – Main Laboratory (Birmingham, AL)
• Lakeland Regional Medical Center – Laboratory (Lakeland, FL)
• Lutheran Hospital – Main Laboratory (Cleveland, OH)
• Mercy Hospital and Medical Center – Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine (Chicago, IL)
• MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center – Laboratory (Des Moines, IA)
• Morristown Medical Center – Main Laboratory (Morristown, NJ)
• Morton Hospital, A Steward Family Hospital Inc – Maurice M. Helpern MD Laboratory (Taunton, MA)
• Mount Sinai Hospital Medical Center – Dr. Israel Davidsohn Department of Pathology (Chicago, IL)
• Mount Sinai Medical Center – Main Laboratory (Miami Beach, FL)
• North Shore Medical Center Salem Hospital – Laboratory (Salem, MA)
• Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center – Main Laboratory (Baton Rouge, LA)
• OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center – Main Laboratory (Rockford, IL)
• Overlook Hospital – Laboratory (Summit, NJ)
• Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center – Main Laboratory (Denver, CO)
• Rose Medical Center – Main Laboratory (Denver, CO)
• St. Anthony Hospital – Centura Laboratory Services (Lakewood, CO)
• St. Barnabas Medical Center – Laboratory (Livingston, NJ)
• Swedish American Hospital – Main Laboratory (Rockford, IL)
• University of California San Francisco Medical Center – UCSF Clinical Labs at Mount Zion (San Francisco, CA)
• United Health Services Hospitals – Binghamton General Hospital (Binghamton, NY)
• University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital – Highlands-UAB Highlands Clinical Laboratory (Birmingham, AL)
• University of Pennsylvania Medical Center Pinnacle Harrisburg – Hospital Laboratory (Harrisburg, PA)
• University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center – Main Laboratory (Houston, TX)
• Virginia Commonwealth University Health Medical Center – Department of Pathology (Richmond, VA)
• Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center-Main Laboratory (Atlanta, GA)

An Important Note:
The College of American Pathologists' (CAP) Accreditation program is driven by volunteer, practicing member pathologists and laboratory professionals that conduct on-site inspections of laboratories. This makes the CAP unique from other accreditors which compensate inspectors. The CAP accreditation program meets and/or exceeds the CMS standards for laboratory accreditation. CMS has granted deeming authority to the CAP's program.

About the College of American Pathologists
As the world's largest organization of board-certified pathologists and leading provider of laboratory accreditation and proficiency testing programs, the College of American Pathologists (CAP) serves patients, pathologists, and the public by fostering and advocating excellence in the practice of pathology and laboratory medicine worldwide. For more information, read the CAP Annual Report at CAP.org.