Accreditation and credentialing in the vascular laboratory

Abstract

The vascular diagnostic laboratory remains an integral component of the vascular surgeon's practice and has replaced many invasive techniques for the diagnosis and treatment plan of vascular disease. Although financial challenges have been leveled at the vascular laboratory, the actual number of laboratories continues to increase, suggesting a greater demand for vascular laboratory studies. With this, also comes the challenge of maintaining quality within each laboratory as well as ensuring a standard of quality for all laboratories nationwide. Credentialing and accreditation have been used for this purpose in nearly all areas of medicine and have provided a mechanism for assuring a minimum standard of competency. Over the last decade, similar mechanisms have been applied toward the vascular diagnostic laboratory, which likely have resulted in improved vascular diagnostic studies and overall care.