CAP Accreditation Readiness-Assessment (CARA)

Find out how prepared you are for the College of American Pathologists (CAP's) Laboratory Accreditation Program.

CAP Accreditation-Readiness Assessment (CARA) is an educational on-site evaluation of your laboratory’s current status on key criteria pertaining to CAP Accreditation before the official process begins.

CARA will help laboratory staff to:

• Better understand CAP Accreditation requirements as they apply specifically to your facility
• Identify areas where your laboratory's performance meets standards and where improvement is necessary
• Provide your laboratory with the tools to develop an action plan

Program Details

• An assessment by CAP inspection specialists educates the laboratory staff with specific, reliable, and actionable information in preparation for CAP Accreditation.
• Findings are for the laboratory's use only; they are not part of the laboratory’s accreditation history or made available to subsequent CAP inspection teams.
• CARA assessments are tailored to each laboratory, but typically include the following aspects:
  • Laboratory Information Systems (LIS)
  • Laboratory Reports and Test Requisitions
  • Method Validation Studies
  • Quality Management Program
  • Quality Control Program
  • Document Control Program
  • Proficiency Testing Program/External Quality Assessment (EQA)
  • Laboratory Safety Program
  • Personnel Training and Competency Programs
  • Transfusion and Donor Service Practices

Information specific to international laboratories interested in CAP Accreditation is available in the International Laboratories section.