The mission of COLA is to improve patient safety and quality in laboratory medicine through programs of education, accreditation and consultation. COLA is the largest laboratory accreditation program in the world. COLA was the first accreditation program to be given deeming authority (recognition) by the U.S. Federal Government under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988. In just three short years COLA’s impact on physician office laboratories, who were recognized as being most in need of support in meeting the new federal law, grew from a few hundred of laboratories to just over 7,000 laboratories throughout the United States. We have surveyed over 18,000 medical testing sites since our inception and are committed to being a leader in the promotion of quality and safety in laboratory medicine. This was accomplished by integrating effective education into our accreditation program and by leveraging the latest in technology to bring about the highest operational efficiencies.

COLA has continued to hold a forward-thinking vision and was the first organization in the USA to offer an accreditation program for Quality Management Systems based on ISO 15189. COLA is an active member of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute and the U.S. TAG (Technical Advisory Group) for ISO/TC 212.

We believe our experiences offer parallels to the endeavors of other regions/countries on the path to improving laboratory quality. We recognize that our educational approach and accreditation operations can serve as a model for study by others while, at the same time, appreciating distinct needs. Our mission is to improve laboratory quality and this forum offers COLA the opportunity to support the endeavors of others who share our vision and mission.