Pathologists Honored For Dedicated Service to Medicine

Contact: Aaron Osborne
Phone: 847-832-7030
E-mail: MEDIA@CAP.ORG

Northfield, IL—The College of American Pathologists (CAP), the world’s largest association of board-certified pathologists, honored five of its members for their remarkable and beyond-the-call service to pathology. The physicians accepted their awards at two ceremonies during CAP16: The Pathologists’ Meeting in Las Vegas, September 24–28.

CAP Public Service Award in Honor of Frank C. Coleman

Diana M. Cardona, MD, FCAP: Current associate professor, medical director of histology immunopathology laboratories and the pathologists’ assistant program, and chief of bone and soft tissue pathology at Duke University. Dr. Cardona’s work at Duke and the CAP exemplifies the political and leadership qualities of the CAP’s sixth president, for which the award gets its name. She currently serves on the CAP Economic Affairs Committee, the Council on Government and State Affairs, and the Accountable Care Organization Network. Dr. Cardona said, "Due in large part to my experience in various committees in the CAP and an acquired knowledge base in payment reform, I have become the pathology representative on Duke’s Medical Shared Savings Program Operating Committee and was elected as the pathology representative on the Board of the Private Diagnostic Clinic."

CAP Laboratory Improvement Programs Service Award

William J. Castellani, MD, FCAP: Currently a professor in the department of biochemistry and molecular biology at the Penn State College of Medicine where he was also medical director for the clinical chemistry and specimen retrieving, as well as the core research laboratory until his retirement in 2014. Dr. Castellani has dedicated an immense amount of effort and time to the CAP’s development of proficiency testing and other laboratory improvement initiatives. He currently serves on the Commission on Laboratory Accreditation and is chair of the Standards Committee, as well as a member of the Council on Accreditation. Dr. Castellani still volunteers his time to inspect laboratories, ensuring they are offering the most accurate and highest quality testing to patients. He said, "What we member volunteers do goes beyond helping the CAP in its goal to further the profession. We bring back these insights and wisdom to our own practices and use them to further what we do for our own patients."

CAP Outstanding Service Award in Honor of Frank W. Hartman

Jonathan L. Myles, MD, FCAP: Anatomic pathologist at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation where he also served as the director for its billing committee and quality assurance. Dr. Myles has advocated for pathology through his work with the CAP Council on Government and Professional Affairs and the Economic Affairs Committee, as well as his own media interviews and speaking engagements. "Being a pathologist is about serving the patients," he said. "The end result of successful advocacy is better service to our patients."

CAP Laboratory Accreditation Program Service Award in Honor of Major General Joseph M. Blumberg

Stephen J. Sarewitz, MD, FCAP: While currently a member of the honorary medical staff at Valley Medical Center in Renton, Washington, Dr. Sarewitz has been a checklist commissioner, a member of the CAP Board of Governors, a member of Council of Accreditation, and a volunteer laboratory inspector for the past 35 years. His work helps ensure that laboratories operate safely and effectively under the CAP's stringent guidelines. Dr. Sarewitz said, "I hope that my contributions to the CAP Laboratory Accreditation Program, the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines, and the medical staff activities at my institution have improved patient care by enhancing the quality and reliability of laboratory testing and pathologic diagnosis."

CAP Distinguished Service Award

Karl V. Voelkerding, MD, FCAP: Current professor of pathology at the University of Utah and medical director for genomics and bioinformatics at ARUP Laboratories in Salt Lake City, Utah. Dr. Voelkerding has led the CAP’s efforts in next-generation sequencing (NGS), including the development of proficiency testing in these new technologies that are paving the way for more personalized care. "The work accomplished represents the outcome of a multiyear interdisciplinary effort that established foundational accreditation requirements and proficiency testing for NGS," he explained. "Involvement in the NGS project team has been a highlight of my professional career."

About the College of American Pathologists

As the leading organization for board-certified pathologists, the College of American Pathologists (CAP) serves patients, pathologists, and the public by fostering and advocating excellence in the practice of pathology and laboratory medicine worldwide. With 18,000 physician members, the CAP has led laboratory accreditation for more than 50 years with more than 7,900 CAP-accredited laboratories in 50 countries. Find more information about the CAP at CAP.ORG. Follow CAP on Twitter at @PATHOLOGISTS.