August 30, 2024

Quality Matters- Why High Standards Are Necessary

Written by: Valarie Rodriguez

Our team is proud to consistently grow our quality standards to ensure that the life saving and healing gifts we are entrusted with reach grateful recipients who are desperately waiting for their second chance through organ donation. Currently, there are more than 100,000 Americans waiting for an organ transplant including nearly 700 Nevadans. The need is real, and we are proud to serve our mission. 

This month, the Accreditation Committee of the College of American Pathologists (CAP) awarded Accreditation to Nevada Donor Network’s Immunogenetics Laboratory based in Las Vegas. This was the result of an onsite inspection as a part of CAP’s accreditation program. Recognized for rigorous and robust standards, CAP accreditation elevates quality and mitigates risk, which is an important way that laboratories can contribute to improved patient outcomes. Our Medical Director, Dr. Phillip Ruiz, MD, PHD, was first made aware of this global recognition and was congratulated for his team’s excellence in all the services they provide. For perspective, Nevada Donor Network’s Immunogenetics Laboratory will now be one of more than 8,000 facilities worldwide that are CAP-accredited, which is a huge honor.

Histology Team Award
Dr. Ruiz shared, “Nevada Donor Network’s Immunogenetics and Transplant Pathology Laboratory CAP accreditation represents our unwavering commitment to excellence in laboratory services. Our team's hard work and passion for excellence have not only earned us this accreditation, but have also directly supported our mission to maximize the gift of life.” 

During the inspection process, CAP follows certain protocols to ensure that the highest standard of care is followed for all transplant patients using each laboratory’s services they are auditing. They examine quality control and records of standard operating procedures. Additionally, they verify equipment, facilities, safety protocols and staff qualifications. The reason for this overview is to verify best practices are being followed that closely align with industry standards. Our team joins more than 23,000 laboratory professionals who are a part of CAP’s accreditation program in ongoing external proficiency testing, quality assessments and more which ensure high quality standards far beyond this accomplishment. 

We are excited to continue our growth as a team and look forward to what the future holds for Nevada Donor Network! Learn more about our accreditations and certifications here.

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