COLA Resources, Inc. ® To Provide Education and Consulting Services to Laboratories
COLUMBIA, MD, July 11, 2013 COLA, a leading laboratory accreditor, recently launched a new education subsidiary, COLA Resources, Inc. ® (CRI), designed to improve laboratory medicine and the quality of patient care through a program of educational and consultative services. The new subsidiary will deliver an extensive series of online educational courses, symposia, live webinars and other tools historically provided by COLA, which will now focus exclusively on accreditation. The educational platform is designed to address important industry issues, enable physicians to meet CME education requirements to qualify as a laboratory director of a moderate complexity laboratory, and assist laboratory professionals in earning P.A.C.E. ® credits to meet state licensure requirements.
In addition, CRI will provide consultative services to help healthcare professionals create continuous quality standards designed to increase the accuracy of clinical test results. The program emphasizes continuous good laboratory practices above and beyond current regulatory requirements in laboratory medicine.
COLA created the subsidiary in response to the growing demand by laboratories for training that can help them successfully navigate today's rapidly changing healthcare environment.
"Creating a separate subsidiary enables CRI to focus independently on the educational needs of laboratory personnel in this fast- changing healthcare environment," said COLA Chief Executive Officer Douglas Beigel. "With estimates that up to 70 percent of all medical decisions are based on results obtained from lab testing, the clinical lab will play a critical role in evolving new models of healthcare," Beigel said. "CRI's comprehensive program of educational services is designed to promote laboratory excellence which ultimately translates into better, more efficient patient care."
Beigel added that CRI's services are available to all clinical laboratories, including non-COLA labs. All programs can be conveniently accessed through CRI's educational portal, www.LabUniversity.org.
About COLA
COLA accredits nearly 8,000 medical laboratories and provides the clinical laboratory with a program of education, consultation, and accreditation. The organization is an independent, non-profit accreditor whose education program and standards enable clinical laboratories and staff to meet U.S. CLIA and other regulatory requirements. COLA's program is endorsed by the American Medical Association (AMA), the American Academy of Family Practitioners (AAFP), and the American College of Physicians (ACP) and it is recognized by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (TJC). For more information about COLA accreditation services and educational products, and online educational opportunities, call 800-981-9883 or visit COLA's web sites at www.cola.org or www.colainsider.org.
About COLA Resources, Inc. (CRI)
CRI is a leader in online continuing education for physicians, laboratory personnel and allied health professionals. CRI offers continuing education through online courses, informational products in both electronic and hard copy form, webinars on cutting-edge technology and regulatory issues, and CRI on-site Symposia for Clinical Laboratories, providing live educational sessions and interactive workshops with leading industry organizations. For more information, visit their website at www.labuniversity.org, or call 1-800-981-9883.
Contact:
Melissa Nichols
Alvare Associates
610-520-6140 x 204
[email protected]
www.alvare.com