On May 18, 2020, COLA published the latest version of its Laboratory Accreditation Manual. COLA laboratories and COLA surveyors apply the criteria in the Laboratory Accreditation Manual to assess compliance. COLA accredits laboratories that are in compliance with COLA criteria, and these laboratories are recognized by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as meeting the regulatory requirements of CLIA.
The COLA accreditation program is educationally oriented. COLA’s mission is to help physicians, clinical laboratory professionals, and healthcare staff operate accurate and efficient laboratories.
Updates to the 2020 COLA Laboratory Accreditation Manual include new criteria in the areas of immunohematology, transfusion services and mass spectrometry, as well as numerous revisions to existing COLA criteria.
“As a leading laboratory accreditor in the United States, COLA is the only laboratory accreditation provider that operates its accreditation program in accordance with a quality management system certified to ISO 9001:2015. This means we offer our customers a unique, standardized program and staff dedicated to satisfaction and laboratory quality,” states COLA CEO Nancy Stratton.
