COLA’s Coordinated Accreditation Program provides an efficient enrollment process for multiple laboratories. With a team of knowledgeable professionals, COLA helps laboratories comply with CLIA regulations and implement best practices in health system laboratories, including those that perform pathology.

Why COLA Inc.?

For more than 30 years, COLA’s accreditation program has provided comprehensive criteria and an extra pair of eyes for laboratories striving to produce quality test results,. COLA’s Coordinated Accreditation Program will provide resources to support laboratory regulatory compliance and efforts to produce streamlined documentation, quality results and improved patient experiences.

COLA operates its accreditation program in accordance with a quality management system certified to ISO 9001:2015. You can always count on COLA to provide a consistent survey experience every two years and across multiple laboratories in a system.

COLA has been approved to deem laboratories in California compliant with the state requirements.

When your laboratory joins COLA, you receive instructions on how to download our Accreditation Manual and a detailed information packet to help you prepare for COLA accreditation. 

Use COLAcentral, our online customer portal, to communicate with us and monitor your accreditation status.  Through COLAcentral you can access our many educational tools.

Self Assessment

Your laboratory may conduct a Self-Assessment and submit the information to COLA. Use your results and feedback to make any corrective actions needed in preparation for the on-site survey.

Depending upon the size and complexity of your laboratory, a COLA Surveyor or Survey Team will visit your laboratory.  We utilize an educational approach throughout our visit  and preliminary survey findings are shared with you and your staff at the conclusion of the survey.

Post Survey &

Corrective Action

COLA experts carefully analyze the survey findings before finalizing your survey report.  If non-compliant criteria are identified you will need to develop and implement a corrective action plan and submit appropriate documentation as required. During this process, technical support is available to you at no additional cost.

Your laboratory receives the COLA Accreditation Certificate for your two-year cycle.  COLA follows your laboratory performance on a continuing basis, including monitoring proficiency testing.

COLA Technical Advisors help laboratories work to achieve a culture of quality throughout the two-year survey cycle.

How Our Process Works