52nd MDG laboratory receives accreditation Published March 3, 2009 By 52nd Medical Group SPANAGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany - -- The 52nd Medical Group laboratory has been awarded an accreditation by the Commission on Laboratory Accreditation of the College of American Pathologists bases on the results of a recent on-site inspection. The laboratory director was recognized by the CAP for the organization's "excellence of the services being provided." The 52nd MDG laboratory is one of more than 6,000 CAP-accredited laboratories nationwide. The CAP Laboratory Accreditation Program began in the early 1960s. It is recognized by the federal government as being equal to or more stringent than the government's own inspection program. During the CAP accreditation process, inspectors examined the laboratory's records and quality control of procedures for the preceding two years. The CAP inspectors also examined the 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 of the laboratory's patients. The CAP 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.