American Hospital Dubai laboratory receives accreditation from College of American Pathologists

The laboratory's director, Dr Aaron Han, was advised of this recognition and congratulated for the 'excellence of the services being provided.' The American Hospital Dubai Laboratory is one of the more than 6,000 CAP-accredited laboratories worldwide and the first private laboratory in the Middle East to achieve CAP accreditation since 2001. The laboratory was also the first private laboratory in the region to be accredited by CAP.

The CAP Laboratory Accreditation Program, begun in the early 1960s, is recognized by the US federal government as being equal to or more stringent than the government's own inspection program.

During the CAP accreditation process, inspectors examine the laboratory's records and quality control of procedures for the preceding two years. CAP inspectors also examine the entire staff's qualifications, the laboratory's equipment, facilities, safety program and records, as well as the overall management of the laboratory. This stringent inspection program is designed to specifically ensure the highest standard of care for the laboratory's patients.

Director of the Lab, Dr. Han, comments: 'We are delighted to receive CAP accreditation once again. The Lab is an integral member of the medical treatment team and an integral part of the hospital. We play a key role in the multidisciplinary team approach to providing the best medical care. Laboratories have now moved on from their more historical role of merely providing pieces of unrelated but accurate and precise medical data, which helped integrate and interpret medical information, often advising on best approach to diagnostic testing, but more and more the trend is to determine best treatment options through testing. One of the most vivid examples of this is in cancer care; the Lab is integral in the assessment and workup of the cancer patient, providing accurate diagnosis. However, once a diagnosis is made, Lab testing can now guide treatment decisions for many types of cancers in the age of 'targeted therapy.'

The College of American Pathologists is a medical society serving nearly 16,000 physician members and the laboratory community throughout the world. It is the world's largest association composed exclusively of pathologists and is widely considered the leader in laboratory quality assurance. The CAP is an advocate for high-quality and cost-effective medical care.