Medical genetics lab earns two-year accreditation

Published March 23, 2009
By Steve Pivnick
81st Medical Group Public Affairs

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, BILOXI, MISS. -- The Air Force Medical Genetics Laboratory at Keesler Medical Center has been awarded two-year accreditation by the Commission on Laboratory Accreditation of the College of American Pathologists.

The 81st Medical Operations Squadron flight received official notification Feb. 13. The genetics flight commander, Capt. Mona Nelson, was congratulated for the "excellence of the services being provided." The laboratory is one of more than 6,000 CAP-accredited laboratories nationwide.

Captain Nelson said a three-person team arrived unannounced and inspected the genetics laboratory in early December.

"The summation meeting went extremely well and the whole team had nothing but high praise for the facility and its crew," Capt. Nelson pointed out. "Everyone in genetics worked very hard to make the inspection an overwhelming success. Dr. David Rigdon, our medical director, played a pivotal role in this entire process."

She added, "Securing reaccreditation ensures continuing quality genetic testing services for more than120 military treatment facilities worldwide. This translates to approximately $2 million in annual savings for the Department of Defense. This figure will continue to trend upwards given our ongoing service expansion."

Col. (Dr.) Kathleen Elmer, 81st MDOS commander, credits Captain Nelson with the center's aggressive move forward in expanding services.

"It is through her innovative leadership and the hard work of the entire genetics department that we have established Army, Navy and Veterans Affairs agreements for services that have propelled us to the forefront of genetics testing," Colonel Elmer remarked. "We've added a genetic counselor to our staff, which allows us to provide an expanded spectrum of genetics counseling and laboratory testing."

The CAP laboratory accreditation program, begun in the early 1960s, is recognized by the federal government as equal to or more stringent than the government's own inspection program. During the CAP accreditation process, inspectors examine the laboratory's records and quality control of procedures for the preceding two years. CAP inspectors also examine the entire staff's qualifications, the laboratory's equipment, facilities, overall management and safety program and record. This stringent inspection program is de-signed to ensure the highest standard of care for the laboratory's patients.