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-- WITH PHOTO -- TO HEALTH, MEDICAL, AND NATIONAL EDITORS:
CAP and ASC Collaborate on Advancing Patient Care through
Cytopathology
NORTHFIELD, Ill., April 16, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The
College of American Pathologists (CAP) and the American Society of
Cytopathology (ASC) announced today the signing of a memorandum of
understanding (MOU) to collaborate on initiatives to advance the
delivery of cytopathology services and improve patient care.
The non-exclusive collaboration will enhance the relationship between
the two organizations to advocate excellence in the practice of
pathology and laboratory medicine and improve standards and quality of
patient care. The agreement illustrates a united leadership on
activities critical to the specialty of cytopathology while allowing
each society to maintain its own identity and governance.
"The CAP and ASC have teamed in the past on initiatives to improve
patient testing," said CAP President Gene N. Herbek, MD, FCAP, and
medical director at Nebraska Methodist Health System in Omaha, Neb.
"The MOU with ASC will allow us to leverage our collective expertise
and resources to enhance patient care through educating our members,
developing guidelines to standardize testing, and advocating on state
and national legislative and regulatory issues."
As a recognized worldwide leader in laboratory medicine, the CAP
serves more than 18,000 board-certified physician pathologists. The
ASC is a distinguished professional organization of more than 3,000
physicians, cytotechnologists, and scientists who are dedicated to the
cytologic method of diagnostic pathology. The first well known and
widely utilized cytopathology test was the Pap smear, which is
considered to be the most successful cancer screening test in medical
history.
"Our increased collaboration with the CAP will help us to continue to
work together to improve test utilization and patient outcomes not
only here in the US, but worldwide," said Ritu, Nayar, MD, president
of ASC and professor of pathology and director of cytopathology at
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, Ill.
"Our united efforts will allow both organizations to better serve our
members, the laboratory community, and patients."
Some of the initial projects under consideration include:
-- Sponsored courses offered at each organization's annual meeting
-- Joint support of women's health issues through the CAP Foundation's
See, Test & Treat@ program, to improve the level of patient engagement
with underserved women by providing free cervical and breast cancer
screening, diagnosis, and follow-up care in a single visit
-- Improved communication and collaboration for the development and
enhancement of the human papillomavirus (HPV) proficiency testing,
evidence-based guidelines, and patient-centered advocacy outreach
The CAP and the ASC have approved the MOU and formal collaboration
begins in April 2014.
About the College of American Pathologists As the leading organization
with more than 18,000 board-certified pathologists, the College of
American Pathologists (CAP) serves patients, pathologists, and the
public by fostering and advocating excellence in the practice of
pathology and laboratory medicine worldwide. The CAP's Laboratory
Improvement Programs, initiated 65 years ago, currently has customers
in more than 100 countries, accrediting 7,600 laboratories and
providing proficiency testing to 20,000 laboratories worldwide. Find
more information about the CAP at cap.org. Follow CAP on Twitter:
@pathologists.
About the American Society of Cytopathology (ASC) The ASC, founded in
1951, is a distinguished national professional society of over 3000
physicians, cytotechnologists, and scientists who are dedicated to the
cytologic method of analysis and early diagnosis of benign,
precancerous and malignant processes at various body sites. The ASC
vision is "Saving Lives One Cell At A Time: Through Education,
Advocacy, Innovation and Teamwork". Additional information about the
ASC can be found on the internet at cytopathology.org and you can
follow us on Facebook as the American Society of Cytopathology and on
Twitter: @cytopathology.
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140416/75656
SOURCE College of American Pathologists
-0- 04/16/2014
/CONTACT: Julie Monzo, College of American Pathologists, 800-323-4040, ext. 7538, media@cap.org; or Elizabeth Jenkins, American Society of Cytopathology, 302-543-6583, bjenkins@cytopathology.org
/Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140416/75656
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
/Web Site: http://www.cap.org
CO: College of American Pathologists
ST: Illinois
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0000 04/16/2014 20:00:00 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com
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