Northfield, IL—Published on October 24, 2022, the College of American Pathologists’ (CAP) Laboratory Accreditation Program checklists introduces enhancements with the new 2022 edition to clarify and simplify the inspection process for both laboratories and inspectors. With the annual release of the 21 discipline-specific checklists, the CAP continues to serve its laboratory partners and their patients with rigorous requirements confirming regulatory compliance while applying modern best practices in laboratory medicine.
“For this year’s edition, one of the key enhancements across all checklists is a policy/procedure icon,” said Richard Scanlan, MD, FCAP, chair, CAP Council on Accreditation, which oversees the accreditation program. “This new visual cue signals that a laboratory must have a written policy or procedure document to fulfill the checklist requirement. The icon will also alert inspectors to check for supporting documentation.”
Other enhancements featured in the 2022 edition: the inclusion of previously cited checklist deficiencies within the related checklist requirements, which is designed for the inspector’s version of the checklists to improve efficiency; an enhanced notes section within the customized Molecular Pathology Checklist—aimed at benefitting laboratories performing next-generation sequencing; as well as further requirement customization of the Laboratory General Checklist for waived-only laboratories.
CAP inspection teams, made up of pathologists and other laboratory experts, use the checklists as a tool to monitor laboratory compliance. CAP checklists incorporate required standards from CLIA, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), strengthening each laboratory’s ability to deliver high-quality service to ensure the best patient care possible. The CAP is a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)-approved accreditation organization with deeming authority to inspect laboratories under CLIA.
Upon completion of a successful inspection, the CAP awards accreditation to the laboratory, which will need to seek re-accreditation two years later. The CAP accredits more than 8,000 laboratories worldwide with more than 600 outside the US in 60 countries.
“The CAP’s program is internationally recognized for its excellence,” Dr. Scanlan said. “Our inspection teams, although there to inspect, also educate as we are practicing laboratory professionals sharing and exchanging knowledge with peers in laboratories across the US and globe.”
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. As a 501(c)(6) membership organization, the CAP is the only entity representing pathologists with unrestricted advocacy capability and a political action committee, PathPAC. For more information, visit yourpathologist.org to watch pathologists at work and see the stories of the patients who trust them with their care. Read the CAP Annual Report.