American Hospital Dubai laboratory receives 5th consecutive accreditation from College of American Pathologists

Dr Aaron Han (Lab Medical Director) and Carlo Kaabar (Lab Technical Director), were advised of this international recognition and congratulated for the "excellence of the services being provided."

American Hospital Dubai Laboratory is one of nearly 7,000 CAP-accredited laboratories worldwide. The Laboratory was the first private laboratory in the region to be accredited by CAP, and the only CAP accredited lab in the UAE.

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 comprising over 3000 inspection checklist items. Mr Kaabar commented that compared to other inspections, "CAP is definitely the most rigorous and thorough process."

During the CAP accreditation process, trained voluntary 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 record, as well as the overall management of the laboratory. This stringent inspection program is designed to specifically ensure the highest ongoing laboratory standard of care for all patients.

AHD Laboratory Medical Director, Dr. Han, comments:

"We are once again delighted to receive accreditation from CAP, which continues to set the standards that drive quality in the medical laboratory environment. Maintaining these standards as the hospital grows and develops is a challenge that the team is meeting successfully, and we continue to invest significantly to ensure these standards are met or exceeded"

"The Lab is an integral part of the hospital, playing a key role in the multidisciplinary team approach to providing the best medical care, 24/7. Laboratories have now moved on from providing pieces of medical data, to advising on the best approach to diagnostic testing, and the trend now is to determine the 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 that serves more than 17,000 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.