Adherence to quality guidelines

Laboratories in the UAE and across the globe are subject to maintaining top standards. Protective gear, user-friendly equipment, and of course, a sanitised well-maintained space, to name a few, are necessary for proper operations. But what sets the standard for these ideals?
In a bid to raise quality and act as a guide, the College of American Pathologists (CAP) steps in to foster and advocate excellence in the practice of pathology and laboratory medicine worldwide.  
Established in the US in 1946, the organisation is dedicated to serve patients, pathologists and public through courses such as the peer-based CAP Laboratory Accreditation Programme that ensure the highest quality laboratory testing in the UAE and abroad.
"Laboratories that pursue CAP accreditation often assume the role as leaders in their community. They take on the responsibility of teaching others the importance of high-quality practices and techniques that help in this pursuit. They also reinforce the critical importance of clinical and pathology laboratory in diagnosis, therapeutic decision-making and ongoing treatment and health monitoring," says Bharati Jhaveri, MD, FCAP, Member, CAP Board of Governors and Chair, CAP Council on Accreditation.
The CAP accredits laboratories in more than 50 countries, and to date, around 38 laboratories have been accredited in the UAE, with strong focus on patients.
"We do this by developing the most rigorous accreditation programme in the world that leverages the expertise of thousands of CAP members and laboratorians involved in the continual vigilance of programme requirements and laboratory inspections. We believe the rigour of our programme speaks volumes of what the CAP represents, i.e., the highest quality pathology and laboratory medicine programmes and services; and why we do it, i.e., for patients worldwide," she said.
Laboratories in more than 100 countries are enrolled in CAP's proficiency testing programmes used in external quality assurance for individual tests.
Among its recent achievements is a set of best practices for Proficiency Testing (PT) providers, awarded by the ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board and valid until July 1, 2018.
"The CAP's ISO-17043 accreditation is another demonstration of our commitment to meeting the needs of clinical laboratories around the world and supporting their efforts to improve the quality of care provided to patients," Jhaveri said.
The CAP's accreditation covers proficiency testing for a majority of tests conducted in the clinical laboratory including blood gas, critical care, oximetry, chemistry, coagulation, endocrinology, haematology, clinical microscopy, immunology, microbiology, reproductive medicine, toxicology, and transfusion medicine.  
Under the world's largest PT programme, the CAP integrates expert science, clinically relevant specimens that challenge and educate participants, and data analysis that ensures robust and relevant peer comparison. Adding to top quality standards in the medical sector, National Reference Laboratory (NRL) steps in as one of the largest CAP-accredited private laboratory networks in the region comprising six recognised laboratories.
It aims to enhance patient care through quick and accurate diagnosis of common and serious diseases.

- farhana@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE