Vermont medical lab earns accreditation

Southwestern Vermont Health Care’ s laboratory has earned accreditation from the College of American Pathologists, the gold standard in laboratory accreditation. The internationally recognized accreditation program uses teams of practicing laboratory professionals and rigorous standards to assess the quality and reliability of hospital laboratories.
‘ Accreditation by the College of American Pathologists tells our patients, doctors and other departments that they can rely on our laboratory to delivery high quality results,’ said Karen Bond, Administrative Director of Laboratory Services.
The accreditation process includes a one-and-a-half day visit from an inspection team made up of actual working laboratory professionals. During the visit, the team examines the lab’ s approach to quality assurance, including the continuous quality improvement efforts of taskforces that interface with clinical departments. The team also uses detailed checklists to examine the breadth of laboratory procedures, such as specimen collection and handling for the wide variety of tests the lab performs.
‘ The inspection is extremely thorough,’ Bond said. ‘ The team first reviews documents, then they spend time actually observing our laboratory practices. They also interview staff and ask specific questions about our policies and procedures. Finally, they follow a laboratory specimen from collection through testing to the point at which the results are reported.’
The accreditation is good for two years, and Bond said that it reflects well not only on laboratory staff but on all of Southwestern Vermont Health Care as well.
‘ Our successful accreditation is the result of a collaborative effort,’ she said. ‘ The lab staff are all very dedicated to their work. We couldn’ t have gotten this distinction without the help and support of our colleagues throughout the health system.’