Franciscan St. Margaret Heath-Hammond ED Recognized for Quality Laboratory Services

The Franciscan St. Margaret Health-Hammond Emergency Department has received a Laboratory Accreditation from COLA, a national health care organization.

Accreditation is granted every two years to laboratories that apply rigid standards of quality in day-to-day operations, demonstrate continued accuracy in the performance of proficiency testing, and pass a rigorous on-site laboratory survey, according to COLA.

The Franciscan St. Margaret Health-Hammond Emergency Department earned the accreditation because of its long-term commitment to providing quality service to its patients, COLA said.

Renne Pfister, chest pain coordinator for Franciscan St. Margaret Health-Dyer, lauded the efforts of Karen Callahan, her counterpart at Franciscan St. Margaret Health-Hammond.

Karen has achieved the COLA Excellence Lab Award since 2008. This award takes diligence and hard work from her and from the staff of the Emergency Department. When patients present to the Emergency Department, they can expect that our laboratory will be delivering the highest care possible.”

COLA, founded in 1988 and originally known as the Commission on Laboratory Accreditation, is a nonprofit, physician-directed organization that promotes quality and excellence in medicine and patient care through programs of voluntary education, achievement and accreditation.

COLA is approved by the federal government and sponsored by the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Medical Association, the American College of Physicians, American Society of Internal Medicine, and the American Osteopathic Association.