System Inspection Option

Experience the benefits of having all of your College of American Pathologists (CAP) accredited laboratories inspected by a single inspection team.

Benefits include:

• An assessment of integrated services to promote standardization
• One common version of the CAP Accreditation Checklists
• One coordinated inspection date for all sites

Program Details

• A preinspection evaluation, conducted by a CAP inspection specialist, ensures an inspection team appropriate in size and scope.
• At the on-site inspection, a CAP inspection specialist participates in the on-site inspection to facilitate communication and ensure a consistent process.
• A post inspection global summation conference occurs with a final report to provide system-level feedback.
• Laboratories receive a CAP system inspection certificate to signify successful participation.
• The systems inspection option follows the same two-year cycle, peer-based inspection model, and checklist requirements as the Laboratory Accreditation Program.

Eligibility Requirements

Systems are eligible if there are at least two or more full-service laboratories that have common administration and ownership that are located within three hours ground travel from a centrally located laboratory. Enrollment and participation in the Laboratory Accreditation Program is a prerequisite for the Systems Option.

Systems Option must meet a minimum of six of the following integration criteria:

1. One set of administrative policies
2. Single, central management team
3. Competency assessment at each site utilizing a System-wide standardized program
4. System-wide quality improvement program
5. System-wide quality control program
6. Patient data managed using a common approach
7. System-wide safety program
8. System-wide specimen collection manual

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

Find a CAP-accredited laboratory.