AABB and A2LA Announce Partnership to Offer Combined Clinical Laboratory Accreditation
Bethesda, MD (PRWEB) December 02, 2015 -- AABB and the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation, or A2LA, proudly announce the AABB/A2LA Accreditation Program. This innovative and efficient clinical laboratory accreditation program combines three assessments in one — AABB accreditation, International Organization for Standardization 15189:2012, and Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments, or CLIA, requirements. AABB and A2LA accreditation programs are internationally-recognized by ILAC (A2LA) and ISQua (AABB).
“AABB and A2LA have more than 100 years of combined experience in helping organizations improve and achieve their quality and safety goals,” said Miriam A. Markowitz, AABB CEO. “AABB’s accreditation process supports a quality management culture that generates commitment and accountability by encouraging innovation, education and wide participation by clinical and technical team members. Our latest offering, the combined clinical laboratory accreditation program, drives operational excellence and is an important step for ensuring that clinical laboratories are prepared to provide the safest products, treatments and services for patients.”
In addition to combining three assessments in one, the AABB/A2LA Accreditation Program adds value to organizations by providing:
• Third-party review by assessors who are quality-focused and uniquely trained technical experts;
• Accreditation that has independently-earned Deemed Status from the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS);
• Assessment against an ISO standard that is not prescriptive and can be implemented based on the organization’s work culture and processes;
• Partners in accreditation that will provide an educational experience for laboratories navigating the ever-changing health delivery landscape.
“The benefit of a single assessment cannot be stressed enough,” said Peter Unger, A2LA President and CEO. “There is less interruption to the laboratory’s work and findings can be coordinated and addressed at one time, ultimately eliminating duplication of efforts and identifying opportunities for efficiency and quality enhancements.”
AABB and A2LA are independent, non-profit, membership organizations with shared core values of continuous quality improvement and improved patient safety and outcomes. Established on the foundation of these values, the AABB/A2LA Accreditation Program works in partnership with clinical laboratories, blood banks and transfusion services to foster a culture of ongoing improvement and innovation.
ABOUT AABB
AABB is an international, not-for-profit association representing individuals and institutions involved in transfusion medicine, cellular therapies and patient blood management. The Association is committed to improving health by developing and delivering standards, accreditation and educational programs that focus on optimizing patient and donor care and safety. AABB membership consists of more than 1,500 institutions worldwide and 7,500 individuals, including physicians, nurses, scientists, researchers, administrators, medical technologists and other healthcare providers. Member institutions are located in more than 80 countries.
ABOUT A2LA
A2LA is a signatory to the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) since 2000. This signatory status is achieved by maintaining conformity to ISO/IEC 17011 Conformity Assessment-General Requirements for bodies providing assessment and accreditation of conformity assessment bodies, undergoing a stringent international peer evaluation at a four-year cycle, and ensuring that all organizations that are accredited by A2LA comply with the relevant, appropriate ISO standards under the ILAC Arrangement. A2LA was granted CMS Deemed Status in March 2014. A2LA is the only accreditation body in the world holding both CMS Deemed Status and ILAC international recognition. A2LA has been providing accreditation services since 1978. Currently over 2,800 accreditation certificates are active in the A2LA accreditation directory and A2LA is the fourth largest multi-disciplined accreditation body in the world.
Kelsey Roberts, American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA), http://www.A2LA.org, +1 (240) 575-7499, [email protected]
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