Accreditation for laboratory medicine facilities
The Diagnostic Accreditation Program is the regulatory accreditation body for laboratory medicine diagnostic services in BC. We ensure availability of accreditation services to all diagnostic facilities and apply all policies and procedures in a non-discriminatory manner.
DAP core accreditation scheme
All facilities in British Columbia must be accredited to the appropriate DAP core standards in order to operate.
Information for designated high volume/complexity laboratories
Designated high volume/complexity laboratories are required to follow the DAP ISO 15189 accreditation scheme.
Reducing duplication of work with regional assessments
Regional assessments are conducted to reduce the duplication of work when multiple facilities in the same regional system are required to provide the same evidence.
- A comprehensive assessment to the DAP organizational standards will be conducted at a primary site
- Conformance to regional standards will be sampled at each related facility
A regional assessment model will be employed where facilities have common governance, including:
- oversight of the quality manual
- safety program
- human resource management
- quality management system
How the assessment works
Facilities require provisional accreditation prior to opening and operating in BC. No diagnostic facility may operate without an accreditation award.
The provisional accreditation certificate is valid for up to two years. The DAP will reassess the diagnostic service to the full set of applicable standards within one year of the initial assessment.
Diagnostic facilities accredited by the DAP will have an on-site assessment conducted every four years.
Diagnostic facilities pursuing accreditation to DAP ISO 15189 will receive a mid-cycle on-site assessment added at the two-year point of their accreditation term.
Accreditation awards are specific to the scope of services that were observed at the time of assessment.
Facilities seeking to expand their scope of services may be required to participate in a focused assessment to achieve required accreditation.
A focused assessment uses a narrow standard set that addresses patient and staff safety, and facility equipment validation prior to offering a new diagnostic service. The existing accreditation award is expanded to include the new diagnostic service upon successful completion of a focused assessment.
Accreditation is only valid for the location (physical address) assessed. Relocation of a facility requires application for a relocation assessment.
The relocation assessment uses a focused standard set addressing patient and staff safety and facility equipment validation prior to offering patient services. The existing accreditation award is transferred to the new physical address when the assessment standards are successfully met.