Just announced! As of December 19, 2025, per the Office of the Federal Register (OFR)...
CMS Approves COLA as an Accreditation Organization for Cytogenetics and Radiobioassay
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Promoting Health and Safety Through Accreditation and Education
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Promoting Health and Safety Through Accreditation and Education
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The 2026 Laboratory Enrichment Forum
The 2026 Laboratory Enrichment Forum is being held at the Sheraton Music City Nashville Airport Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee on May 6-8, 2026. The Forum offers interactive sessions covering topics of Pathology, Laboratory Leadership, Quality and Emerging Trends. The sessions will provide practical tools to use in your laboratory, and continuing education credits are available for physicians and laboratorians. Advance registration is now open, register today.
Popular Courses
Laboratory Director Course
All Access – Waived Testing Toolkit
Administrative Access – Waived Testing Toolkit
Waived Testing – Best Practices for Quality Results
Implementing a Meaningful IQCP
Virtual Lecture Series
Overview of Moderate Complexity Regulatory Requirements
Future Events
COLA’s Laboratory Enrichment Forum – May 4-6, 2027
One of America’s Leading Laboratory Accreditors
As  a  leading  physician-directed accrediting organization and the first to obtain federal approval under CLIA, we accredit laboratories of all types, sizes and complexities. For more than thirty–five years, we have refined our unique educationally–focused accreditation experience resulting in a consistent 98% customer satisfaction rate.   Accreditation is our core business.   Promoting health and safety is our mission. Guiding professionals to achieve their vision for laboratory excellence is our passion. Â
Court’s Ruling on the FDA’s LDT
A major ruling on laboratory-developed tests (LDTs): A federal court has vacated the FDA’s Final Rule that aimed to regulate nearly all LDTs as medical devices. The court found that the FDA overstepped its authority under the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. The scheduled phasing out of the FDA’s enforcement discretion over LDTs is being set aside.
COLA Accreditation
COLA continues to be a CMS-approved laboratory accreditation organization (AO). COLA’s latest reapproval from CMS, for the maximum six-year period, was announced in the Federal Register on March 6, 2024. Â
The Joint Commission (TJC) has discontinued the cooperative agreement with COLA for laboratory accreditation. TJC is the only hospital accreditor that restricts options for laboratory accreditation. TJC-accredited hospitals who use COLA for their laboratory accreditation do have other choices, however, for hospital accreditation.  Â
There are many synergies between COLA and both DNV and CIHQ (Center for Improvement in Healthcare Quality). These two CMS approved hospital accreditation organizations share many of the COLA values, including a standardized and educational approach to assisting you with compliance challenges. And both welcome COLA laboratory accreditation in their accredited hospitals.  Â
A list of all CMS-approved hospital accreditors can be found at Web List AO Contact List (cms.gov).Â
Stay Informed!
Stay informed about the latest regulatory announcements, upcoming events, trending accreditation news and other laboratory topics.
One of America’s Leading Laboratory Accreditors
As a leading physician-directed accrediting organization and the first to obtain federal approval under CLIA, we accredit laboratories of all types, sizes and complexities. For over thirty years, we have refined our unique educationally-focused accreditation experience. Year over year customers report 98% satisfaction.  Accreditation is our core business.  Promoting health and safety is our mission. Guiding professionals to achieve their vision for laboratory excellence is our passion.Â
Court’s Ruling on the FDA’s LDT
A major ruling on laboratory-developed tests (LDTs): A federal court has vacated the FDA’s Final Rule that aimed to regulate nearly all LDTs as medical devices. The court found that the FDA overstepped its authority under the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. The scheduled phasing out of the FDA’s enforcement discretion over LDTs is being set aside.
COLA Accreditation
COLA continues to be a CMS-approved laboratory accreditation organization (AO). COLA’s latest reapproval from CMS, for the maximum six-year period, was announced in the Federal Register on March 6, 2024. Â
The Joint Commission (TJC) has discontinued the cooperative agreement with COLA for laboratory accreditation. TJC is the only hospital accreditor that restricts options for laboratory accreditation. TJC-accredited hospitals who use COLA for their laboratory accreditation do have other choices, however, for hospital accreditation.  Â
There are many synergies between COLA and both DNV and CIHQ (Center for Improvement in Healthcare Quality). These two CMS approved hospital accreditation organizations share many of the COLA values, including a standardized and educational approach to assisting you with compliance challenges. And both welcome COLA laboratory accreditation in their accredited hospitals.  Â
A list of l all CMS-approved hospital accreditors can be found at Web List AO Contact List (cms.gov). Â
Future Events
COLA’s Laboratory Enrichment Forum – May 4-6, 2027
Stay Informed!
Stay informed about the latest regulatory announcements, upcoming events, trending accreditation news and other laboratory topics.
The 2026 Laboratory Enrichment Forum
The 2025 Laboratory Enrichment Forum is being held at the Sheraton Music City Nashville Airport Hotel, in Nashville, Tennessee on May 6-8, 2026. The Forum offers interactive sessions covering topics of Pathology, Laboratory Leadership, Quality and Emerging Trends. The sessions will provide practical tools to use in your laboratory, and continuing education credits are available for physicians and laboratorians. Advance registration is now open, register today.
Popular Courses
Laboratory Director Course
All Access – Waived Testing Toolkit
Administrative Access – Waived Testing Toolkit
Waived Testing – Best Practices for Quality Results
Implementing a Meaningful IQCP
Virtual Lecture Series
Featured News & Events
Listen Now to Season 2, Episode 1!
IAAC Welcomes COLA as a New IAAC Associate Member
On September 3, 2025, the Inter-American Accreditation Cooperation (IAAC) welcomed COLA...
COLA Inc Rebrands as Commission on Laboratory Accreditation (COLA)
COLA Inc, a national non-profit laboratory accreditor dedicated to promoting health and...
Lynn Jeffers, MD, MBA, joins COLA Inc. Board of Directors
COLA, a national laboratory accreditation organization committed to promoting healthcare...
Featured News & Events
COLA's Customer Success
Listen Now to Season 2, Episode 1!
CMS Approves COLA as an Accreditation Organization for Cytogenetics and Radiobioassay
Just announced! As of December 19, 2025, per the Office of the Federal Register (OFR)...
IAAC Welcomes COLA as a New IAAC Associate Member
On September 3, 2025, the Inter-American Accreditation Cooperation (IAAC) welcomed COLA...
COLA Inc Rebrands as Commission on Laboratory Accreditation (COLA)
COLA Inc, a national non-profit laboratory accreditor dedicated to promoting health and...
Lynn Jeffers, MD, MBA, joins COLA Inc. Board of Directors
COLA, a national laboratory accreditation organization committed to promoting healthcare...