The Wells, Lake Mills, Alden, New Richland and Kiester Clinics – part of Mayo Health System have met all criteria for Laboratory Accreditation by COLA, a national health care accreditation organization.

“This is a great achievement,” says Heidi Goemann, regional technical consultant, Albert Lea Medical Center Laboratory. “The first time we received accreditation by COLA was in 1998 and for 10 years we have continued to meet their criteria. We are very proud of our regional laboratory staffs. They are a committed and dedicated group of people who strive to provide the best service possible to their patients each and every day.

Accreditation is given only to laboratories that apply rigid standards of quality in day-to-day operations, demonstrate continued accuracy in the performance of proficiency testing, and pass a rigorous on-site laboratory survey. ALMC’s regional clinics have earned COLA accreditation as a result of a long-term commitment to provide quality service to their patients.

COLA is a non-profit, physician-directed organization promoting quality and excellence in medicine and patient care through programs of voluntary education, achievement and accreditation.