NMCP’s Laboratory Receives Zero-Discrepancy CAP Accreditation

Photo By Rebecca Perron | 171206-N-GM597-059 Portsmouth, Va. (Dec. 6, 2017) Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Whitney Corbin, a medical laboratory technician in Naval Medical Center Portsmouth’s Laboratory Department, streaks urine on a plate for a urine culture test which can determine if a patient has a urinary tract infection. NMCP’s laboratory recently announced the results of a zero-discrepancy College of American Pathologists (CAP) accreditation, which certifies the highest level of quality for the testing results of the 4.5 million samples the lab tests annually. (U.S. Navy photo by Rebecca A. Perron)  

PORTSMOUTH, VA, UNITED STATES

12.06.2017

Story by Rebecca Perron 

Naval Medical Center - Portsmouth

With a staff of 200, around-the-clock operations and the processing of 4.5 million samples annually in Naval Medical Center Portsmouth’s laboratory, ensuring procedures are followed and certification paperwork is maintained 100 percent of the time can be a daunting task. But that’s exactly what the laboratory at NMCP did, announcing the results of a zero-discrepancy College of American Pathologists (CAP) accreditation Dec. 6.
“The overwhelming success of this inspection is due to our attention to patient-focused decisions, commitment to collaborative team-based care, and dedication to provide high value service to our patients and staff,” said Cmdr. Bryan Keenan, medical director of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at NMCP. “When we have quality laboratory studies, we yield quality patient care outcomes!”
Keenan said that he is proud of his staff given that they are a 24-7 operation and touch every single aspect of patient care.
“From the outpatient clinics to the wards to the surgical units, emergency room and babies being delivered, all of the testing that goes on in the medical center comes to us, and we take those samples, analyze them, and then provide significant input for the treatment of that patient,” Keenan said. “We interact with the entire medical center, including all nine of the branch health clinics and TRICARE Prime clinics who send their samples to us for processing.”
NMCP’s laboratory also supports testing for the Second Fleet, which includes all of the ships homeported in Hampton Roads.
“Some ships have limited testing capabilities, but for the most part, the lab techs on the ships will bring their samples to the closest branch health clinic for transportation to NMCP,” said Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Joshua Matteson, a member of the Point of Care Testing team. “We will certify and run the ship’s samples along with ours.”
Regardless of the source of the samples, the high quality results that NMCP’s lab produces are verified through CAP’s Laboratory Accreditation Program. The program requires a complete inspection of each laboratory every two years, and they inspect and accredit the entire spectrum of laboratory test disciplines with the most scientifically rigorous requirements.
Compliance with all procedures and checklist items means that NMCP’s laboratory is delivering the highest level of patient safety.
“We have a checklist with 2,000 items that we have to comply with for the inspection,” said Kristine Nguyen, quality assurance coordinator. “We prepare for the inspection by making sure we are in compliance with each of these items. For example, they ask about the critical results and quality management, how we manage customer service, how we manage test results to make sure the results are accurate. They also verify the qualifications of the staff.”
Nguyen said the laboratory’s staff continually prepares for the inspection since they receive only a one-hour notice that an inspection is scheduled for that day. During the inspection, 10 CAP inspectors were paired with one or two NMCP staff from each of the lab’s 13 sections, which include phlebotomy, chemistry, processing, apheresis, and the Blood Bank and Blood Donor Center.
In addition to the checklist, the inspectors examined each of the lab’s sections to make sure spaces were clean, equipment was functional and maintenance was up to date.
“I think it’s really unprecedented having both a flawless laboratory CAP inspection and a flawless Blood Bank AABB inspection,” Keenan said. “We have incredibly skilled technicians and staff dedicated to providing outstanding patient care and customer service.”
Keenan commended the bench technicians who run the tests every day and oversee that samples are being handled appropriately, as well as ensuring equipment is being maintained and the quality management aspects of the job.
“I’d also like to thank the Quality Assurance team who really drives our quality maintenance and makes sure that we stay within the narrow parameters dictated by CAP and AABB,” Keenan said. “Kudos to them for doing an amazing job.”
As a member of the POCT team, Matteson also had a significant impact on the inspection results.
“My focus was to ensure all were following correct procedures by making sure all Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were up to date,” Matteson said. “Another big item is that we have 1,500 staff throughout the medical center who use our bedside testing machines. We went through everything to make sure they were up to date, that everyone was in compliance with their training and certifications and paperwork, and if not, get them complaint.”
With the inspection complete and the accreditation announced, Nguyen summed up the reason for their success: “It’s all about teamwork.”

• Date Taken: 12.06.2017
• Date Posted: 12.12.2017 15:38
• Story ID: 258510
• Location: PORTSMOUTH, VA, US