The Accreditation Committee of the College of American Pathologists (CAP) has awarded accreditation to Good Samaritan Respiratory Care Laboratory based on results of a recent on-site inspection as part of the CAP’s Accreditation Program.

The hospital was advised of this national recognition and congratulated for the excellence of the services being provided. Good Samaritan Respiratory Care Laboratory is one of more than 8,000 CAP-accredited facilities worldwide.

The separate accreditation process the Respiratory Care Department’s Blood Gas Laboratory participates in ensures the public that blood gas testing is a priority for Good Samaritan. “The stringent criteria and proficiency program we adhere to for our CAP accreditation requires extensive validation and verification that our instruments and results are of the highest quality and that those results can be used reliably by our practitioners when making decisions about clinical treatment,” said Janet Sievers, Director of Respiratory Care. “The accreditation process also requires that our staff are licensed, that they are well educated, and that they demonstrate their proficiency in the collection and analysis of blood gas samples. CAP is the gold standard in laboratory accreditation and we are proud to have completed successful re-accreditation without any deficiencies or recommendations for improvement in our current program by the CAP inspection team.”

The U.S. federal government recognizes the CAP Laboratory Accreditation Program, begun in the early 1960s, as being equal-to or more-stringent-than the government’s own inspection program.

“This accreditation is another testament to the amazing work our employees are doing here at Good Samaritan and speaks highly of the work being done every day to maintain that high level of quality and safety for our patients,” said Rob McLin, President and CEO.

During the CAP accreditation process, designed to ensure the highest standard of care for all laboratory patients, inspectors examine the laboratory’s records and quality control of procedures for the preceding two years. CAP inspectors also examine laboratory staff qualifications, equipment, facilities, safety program and record, and overall management.