New guidance in checklist on AMR and mass spec
November 2023—In the 2023 edition of the CAP accreditation program checklists is new guidance on analytical measurement range verification and new and revised requirements for mass spectrometry.
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Wednesday, August 26, 2026 1 PM-2 PM ET
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Moderated by: Bob McGonnagle, Publisher, CAP TODAY
Wednesday, September 23, 2026. 12 PM-12:30 PM ET
Roundtable presenters Dr. David Sacks MB, ChB, FRCPath, Chairman, Steering Committee National Glycohemoglobin Standardization Program (NGSP), and Priya Sivaraman, PhD, Senior Technical Product Manager, Tosoh Bioscience.
Moderated by: Bob McGonnagle, Publisher, CAP TODAY
Wednesday, September 30, 2026. 1 PM-1:30 PM ET
Roundtable presenters John Longshore, PhD, Head of Scientific Affairs, Global Oncology Diagnostics, AstraZeneca, and Flora Berisha, MS, Executive Director, Global Head of Diagnostic Partnering and Development, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, and Mark D. Ewalt, MD, Associate Medical Director for Laboratory Operations, Diagnostic Molecular Pathology, Molecular Diagnostics Service, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and Isabel Preeshagul, DO, MBS, Thoracic Medical Oncologist, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
Moderated by: Bob McGonnagle, Publisher, CAP TODAY
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CAP lab accreditation/checklists/protocols/guidelines
Soon to be required: current susceptibility testing breakpoints
October 2023—A CAP accreditation program requirement that microbiology laboratories use current antimicrobial susceptibility testing breakpoints, which was added to the checklist in 2021, will go into effect Jan. 1, 2024.
New viscoelastic testing requirement in checklist
September 2023—A proficiency testing accreditation requirement in the new checklist edition was revised to add clarification, and a new requirement on viscoelastic testing will close an existing gap.
Few but notable— new accreditation checklist changes
August 2023—Climate control, calculation verification, block retention, and histocompatibility section director (technical supervisor) qualifications are among the areas in which laboratories can expect to see revisions in the new edition of the CAP laboratory accreditation checklists, to be released this month.
Checklists now made to fit for next-gen sequencing labs
October 2022—As the diagnostic uses for next-generation sequencing have grown, so too has the length of the NGS section of the CAP molecular pathology accreditation program checklist. Now, with the release of the new checklist edition this month, NGS laboratories will find the NGS section in their customized checklists leaner, more relevant, and easier to read.
Need a written policy or procedure? Look for icon
September 2022—A new icon in the accreditation checklist edition to be released next month will make it easier to know if a written policy or procedure is needed for compliance with a requirement, and easier to inspect and be inspected.
Cytopathology in focus: Protocol for reporting cervicovaginal cytology specimens
August 2022—The protocol for the reporting of cervicovaginal cytology, the first in a series of CAP cytopathology protocols, became available for use in a synoptic format on June 22. This protocol is a collaborative effort, based on input from past and present members of the CAP Cytopathology Committee and prepared in conjunction with the CAP Pathology Electronic Reporting Committee. It was presented via webinar to the CAP House of Delegates on March 31. A two-week open comment period followed; all comments were reviewed and appropriate changes were incorporated into the protocol.
For inspectors, a new and better training course
May 2022—Users of the CAP’s redesigned laboratory inspector training course, introduced last December, should find it to be more fun, less chore, and tailored to what they need to know, say those who developed the new course. And it’s open and accessible to all.
Cytopathology in focus: Know the accreditation requirements for telecytology
May 2022—The number of minimally invasive fine-needle aspirations requiring rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE) in the cytopathology laboratory has increased over the past decade. Laboratories have seen lower gynecologic volumes and an increase in both nongynecologic fine-needle aspiration biopsy and touch imprint samples. ROSE for patient care has proven value. Sample adequacy allows for a single visit and avoids having to make multiple attempts to provide material sufficient for all required testing, including flow cytometry, microbiology, cell block preparation for immunohistochemical and histochemical staining, and molecular testing.
Cytopathology in focus: Statistical reporting—benefits beyond the numbers
January 2022—The CAP has a robust Laboratory Accreditation Program with a commitment to continually improving the programs and providing appropriate resources needed for compliance. As a deemed status organization, validation surveys are performed annually through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the feedback obtained provides direction for education.