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North Valley Hospital Laboratory Receives Accreditation
from College of American Pathologists
North Valley Hospital Laboratory, Whitefish, Montana has been awarded an accreditation by the Commission on Laboratory Accreditation of the College of American Pathologists (CAP), based on the results of a recent on-site inspection. The lab has been accredited by CAP since 1997.
The laboratory's Medical Director Peter Smith, MD, also a board certified clinical pathologist; was advised of this national recognition and congratulated for the "excellence of the services being provided." North Valley Hospital Laboratory is one of more than 6,000 CAP-accredited laboratories nationwide and the only laboratory in Western Montana to receive this certification.
The CAP Laboratory Accreditation Program, established in the early 1960s, is recognized by the federal government as being equal to or more stringent than the government's own inspection program.
Inspectors examine the records and quality control of the laboratory for the preceding two years, as well as the education and qualifications of the total staff, the adequacy of the facilities, the equipment, laboratory safety, and laboratory management to determine how well the laboratory is serving the patient.
The College of American Pathologists is a medical society serving more than 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.
North Valley Hospital's laboratory provides over 110,000 tests each year for people in the community, and operates 24 hours a day. An additional site at the Professional Center in Columbia Falls is staffed Monday through Friday. The NVH staff includes 11 clinical laboratory scientists and two (2) phlebotomists providing over 100 tests on site. The Department takes pride in its patient-centered focus providing timely results to the patient’s physician.
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