The College of American Pathologists (CAP) is a professional organization that provides accreditation and inspection services for clinical laboratories. CAP’s Laboratory Accreditation Program is recognized by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as equivalent to the federal regulations for laboratory testing.
The CAP inspection process is designed to evaluate a laboratory’s compliance with the highest standards of quality and patient safety. The inspection team, which is composed of highly qualified pathologists and laboratory professionals, conducts a thorough on-site evaluation of the laboratory’s facilities, personnel, procedures, and test results. The team also reviews the laboratory’s policies and procedures, as well as its quality control and quality assurance programs.
During the inspection, the team evaluates the laboratory’s compliance with more than 200 standards that cover all aspects of laboratory operations, including laboratory management, personnel qualifications, test methods, and patient test results. The inspection also includes a review of the laboratory’s proficiency testing results, which are used to evaluate the laboratory’s performance against that of other laboratories.
CAP also inspects laboratories for specific testing modalities, such as molecular pathology, cytogenetics, or flow cytometry. These specialized inspections are based on specific standards that are specific to the testing modality.
The CAP inspection process is rigorous and comprehensive, and it is designed to identify areas of weakness and non-compliance. If the laboratory is found to be non-compliant with any of the standards, the CAP will require the laboratory to develop and implement a plan of correction. The laboratory will then be re-inspected to ensure that the deficiencies have been corrected.
CAP accreditation is valid for two years, and a laboratory must undergo an on-site inspection every two years to maintain its accreditation. During the interim period, the laboratory is required to submit quarterly quality control and proficiency testing results, as well as annual reports on its performance and any corrective actions that were taken.
CAP’s Laboratory Accreditation Program is widely recognized as a sign of quality in the laboratory industry, and many states require that laboratories be CAP-accredited in order to participate in certain programs, such as Medicaid. Additionally, many insurance companies and health care organizations require that laboratories be CAP-accredited in order to contract with them.
In summary, The College of American Pathologists (CAP) is a professional organization that provides accreditation and inspection services for clinical laboratories, its Laboratory Accreditation Program is recognized by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as equivalent to the federal regulations for laboratory testing. The CAP inspection process is designed to evaluate a laboratory’s compliance with the highest standards of quality and patient safety, it is rigorous and comprehensive, and it is designed to identify areas of weakness and non-compliance. If the laboratory is found to be non-compliant with any of the standards, the CAP will require the laboratory to develop and implement a plan of correction. CAP accreditation is valid for two years, and a laboratory must undergo an on-site inspection every two years to maintain its accreditation.