Hidalgo County Public Health Laboratory Receives Accreditation from College of American Pathologists

EDINBURG – The Accreditation Committee of the College of American Pathologists (CAP) has awarded accreditation to the Hidalgo County Public Health Laboratory, a division of the Hidalgo County Health & Human Services Department, following a recent on-site inspection as part of CAP’s Accreditation Programs.

CAP accreditation is recognized worldwide as a mark of quality that ensures accuracy, reliability, and patient safety. For residents of Hidalgo County, this means greater confidence that testing performed locally meets the highest national and international standards.

The facility’s director, Dr. Martha Luna, was formally notified of this recognition and congratulated for the excellence of the services being provided. The Hidalgo County Public Health Laboratory now joins more than 8,000 CAP-accredited facilities worldwide.

“CAP accreditation is considered the gold standard for lab quality worldwide. We are proud and excited to receive this recognition,” said Dr. Martha Luna. “It recognizes the high level of dedication and expertise of our laboratory team and the commitment they bring to their work every day. Most importantly, it gives our community confidence that the testing done here in Hidalgo County meets the highest standards and directly supports the health and safety of our residents.”

This accomplishment also highlights the leadership of Lab Manager Veronica Cuate, MBA-HCA, BSMT, who played a central role in building the laboratory’s foundation and guiding the team through the accreditation process.

“Over the past year, the laboratory invested significant effort to prepare for this inspection, including completing instrument validations and developing comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures,” said  Cuate. “Achieving this accreditation is a true mark of excellence and demonstrates our commitment to providing our community with the highest quality laboratory results.”

“Earning this accreditation is an important step for our Public Health Lab,” added Hidalgo County Health Department Director Dairen Sarmiento Rangel. “It means we can do more of our testing in-house, instead of sending samples out. Faster, accurate results make a real difference in how quickly we can respond and care for our residents.”

During the CAP accreditation process, inspectors reviewed the laboratory’s records, quality control procedures, staff qualifications, equipment, facilities, safety programs, and overall management. These reviews ensure that laboratory practices reflect the most up-to-date standards and support the highest level of care.

With more than 23,000 laboratory participants, CAP also provides proficiency testing and external quality assessment programs, quality improvement tools, and protocols to strengthen laboratory operations worldwide. Built on a foundation of pathologist expertise, the College of American Pathologists partners with laboratories globally to raise the quality of laboratory medicine, achieve diagnostic confidence, and support the best patient care.