Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune’s Laboratory Department obtained recertification from the College of American Pathologists with a 99.9% compliance rate on their recent inspection. The results of the inspection from July demonstrate the high level of commitment each team member contributes towards quality patient care.

“Meeting CAP accreditation is required and non-negotiable,” said NMCCL’s director of Clinical Pathology, U.S. Navy Cmdr. (Dr.) Reynaldo Gomez. “Receiving the accreditation shows you are excelling at laboratory medicine, using good practices and policies that are respected and anticipated in the industry.”

The CAP program is widely recognized across the globe as the gold standard in laboratory accreditation. According to their website, the organization has more than 65 years of experience, includes 18,000 board-certified pathologists, and services over 20,000 laboratories across the globe in over 100 countries.

“The results of this inspection are unprecedented for NMCCL’s lab,” said Lt. Cmdr. Amanda Randles, assistant department head for the laboratory. “It's a true testament to the hard work of all of our fantastic staff.”

Laboratories accredited by CAP require strict adherence to standards and regulations. Being accredited also gives an advantage; the lab stays informed of rapidly changing techniques, policies, and regulations for the industry.

“We start at the ground level here. All our staff are expected to continuously meet the competencies set out by CAP,” explained Gomez. “We regularly perform self-inspections to ensure we are ready for the real inspections and ensure we are providing the highest level of care possible across the industry.”

The NMCCL Laboratory employs 45 active duty, civilian, and contract personnel.