Singapore Diagnostics (SGD) made its mark in Philippine laboratory medicine by becoming the first tertiary lab in the country to receive the coveted Laboratory Accreditation from the College of American Pathologists (CAP). This makes Singapore Diagnostics’ laboratory in Makati City the only one in the country with this distinction, a testament to the competence, knowledge, and skills of the team at the laboratory.
SGD Laboratory Director and Chief Pathologist, Paulo Giovanni L. Mendoza, MD, FPSP, spoke on the significance of this achievement for their team. “CAP Accreditation is a big deal. It just proves that we are the industry leader in the Philippines and that our team, laboratory processes and analyzers are equally world class.”
Ritche Evidente, SGD President and CEO added, “This is just the beginning. We’re working towards elevating the quality standards in the entire Philippines. As we expand our network of laboratories in the country, customers can be sure that we will maintain this level of quality in every SGD lab in the country.”
According to Dr. Mendoza, the achievement is more than just about the accolade itself. “Proving the capabilities of our laboratory to the rest of the world is just a wonderful side-effect, but it’s letting our customers in the Philippines, the hospitals and clinics that rely on us, feel confident about the quality of our results.” SGD Chief Operating Officer, Mar Diokno, shared a few words to illustrate the magnitude of their laboratory’s achievement. “There are less than 500 medical laboratories outside of the United States that have received this accreditation. This achievement proves that Filipino Medical Laboratory Scientists are truly world-class”.
The accreditation process involves the examination of the entire spectrum of laboratory test disciplines with the most scientifically rigorous customized checklist requirements. Receiving the accreditation increases the value that laboratories brings to organizations, customers, and patients.
First devised in the 1960’s, the CAP Laboratory Accreditation Program is recognized by the U.S. federal government as being equal-to or more stringent than the US government’s own inspection program as well as other quality standards including JCI and ISO.
SGD is a clinical laboratory that services other clinics and hospitals. To date, over 500 clinics and hospitals have partnered with SGD, sending specimens for processing or fully outsourcing their own laboratory management and operations. The laboratory runs 200,000 tests per month for up to 30,000 patients from different clinics and hospitals. In less than five years, SGD has grown to be among the largest laboratories in the Philippines. While the laboratory’s core facility is located in Makati, SGD is expanding its network of laboratories to include Dagupan, Angeles, Iloilo, Cebu and Davao, elevating the quality of laboratories around the country.
ADVT