The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations is the nation's premier accrediting body. The Joint Commission has been accrediting laboratory services since 1979 and free-standing laboratories since 1995. Today, the Joint Commission accredits more than 2,600 organizations with laboratory services, equating to 4,300 CLIA certificates.

Laboratories eligible for accreditation include laboratories in hospitals, clinics, physician offices, assisted reproductive technology labs, point of care test sites, reference laboratories, and public health laboratories. The Joint Commission accreditation supports and enhances quality improvement efforts, offers an educational experience, enhances the organization's image to the public, purchasers and payers, and provides a competitive advantage.

The Joint Commission accreditation survey provides an assessment of a laboratory's compliance with state-of-the-art standards. The survey is performance focused and emphasizes the results a laboratory should achieve, instead of the specific method used.

Accredited laboratories are surveyed every two years. Surveys are conducted by experienced medical technologists that have passed a rigorous certification examination. The exam tests knowledge of the surveyors and increases the consistency of the survey process. Joint Commission surveyors are not volunteers, but professionals who have experienced laboratory services in many types of settings. They can provide an educational, consultative experience for staff and often provide information that saves time and money for laboratory managers. Additionally, the Joint Commission offers the option of enhanced Pathology expertise to laboratories that want additional consultation for Histology and Cytology services.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) officially recognize the Joint Commission Laboratory accreditation as meeting the requirements of the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA). 

American Society for Clinical Pathology

ASCP is a nonprofit medical specialty society representing 140,000 members, including board certified pathologists, other physicians, clinical scientists, medical technologists and technicians.  It is the world's largest organization representing pathology and laboratory medicine.  As the leading provider of continuing education for pathologists and medical laboratory personnel, the ASCP promotes quality of the profession through comprehensive educational programs, publications, and self-assessment materials.

The ASCP is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education (CME) for physicians.  ASCP Continuing Medical Laboratory Education (CMLE) credit hours meet the continuing education requirements for the ASCP Board of Registry Continuing Competence Recognition Program. ASCP educational programs are accepted by California, Florida, and many other states for relicensure of clinical laboratory personnel.

ASCP Teleconferences
ASCP Teleconferences are live, interactive audio programs sent over telephone lines and enhanced with a collection of 35mm transparencies or compact disk, and lecture notes. No rushing to airports. No expense reports.  No excess time away from your laboratory...or your family. What you do get are outstanding learning experiences full of practical information and techniques.

Each audio teleconference consists of approximately 50 minutes of didactic presentation followed by a live 15-20 minute question and answer period.  Participating in an ASCP Teleconference is easy.  Participating locations are connected to the speaker with a phone call to the electronic bridge. The bridge allows all sites to be joined together with the faculty and allows for the high-quality, noise-free communication link.  A slide projector or computer may be used to follow along with the images ASCP provides.

For each ASCP Teleconference program, certificates of participation are available indicating the designated number of CME/CMLE credit hours.