College of American Pathologists inspect medical laboratory

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Zachary Hada
  • 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. --  The College of American Pathologists inspected the 28th Medical Support Squadron medical laboratory for CAP re-certification, a standard by which all Air Force labs must meet Sept. 24-25.

During the CAP inspection, various aspects of the labs operations and management were evaluated, including procedure manuals, completeness of records, and quality control methods to ensure the laboratory was performing at a high standard.

"Every two years we go through this inspection," said Tech. Sgt. Benjamin McReynolds, 28th MDSS NCO in charge of the clinical laboratory. "This year we did really well and came out with zero discrepancies."

On average, out of a 100 inspections only five percent will achieve a zero discrepancy assessment. Senior Airman Brittany Harrell-Dye, 28th MDSS medical laboratory technician, mentioned this was her first time experiencing a CAP inspection.

"Honestly, I'm not surprised that we did well, we have really good people who work in our lab and who are very dedicated to doing their job," Harrell-Dye said. "Everyone here is really good at communicating and working together. The fact that we were able to handle the lab and do everything correctly during the inspection shows how committed everyone here is to their job and to supporting the mission."

McReynolds added that the inspection verifies correct procedures while identifying areas that need improvement.

"We are held to meet these high standards to prevent mistakes and provide the best health care we can possibly provide to our patients," McReynolds said.

Despite working in a very busy laboratory, the importance of the accreditation was not lost on the personnel who serve there daily.

"Our role in the 28th Bomb Wing's mission is to keep Airmen fit to fight so we can continue to put bombs on target," McReynolds said.

The medical laboratory takes samples of biological materials and then assesses the cells to gather the results doctors need to make accurate diagnoses of their patients.

"I love this job. Patients come to us with their symptoms and we run tests and find the puzzle pieces and put them together to see what's causing their issues, it's incredibly important," Harrell-Dye said. "It's such a huge impact on people's lives and I find it really rewarding knowing that I'm helping people every day."