The Laboratory Services department at the Juan F. Luis Hospital and Medical Center was reaccredited by the national organization that monitors and certifies more than 20,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States, the hospital announced Friday.

Dr. Kendall Griffith, interim chief executive officer of JFL, received notification of the reaccreditation from the Joint Commission on Accreditation and Hospital Organization in a letter dated Sept. 25. The accreditation covers all services surveyed under the Comprehensive Manual for Laboratory and Point of Care Testing.

A team from the joint commissions visited the hospital in May and September, examining the laboratory services to determine if they met the commission’s standards in accordance with the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment of 1988. This process of examination is designed to ensure organizations such as JFL provide safe, high quality care, treatment and services by identifying opportunities for improvement in their processes and helping them follow through and implement those improvements, the hospital’s announcement said.

"I am very pleased and extremely happy with all of the assistance that was given to my department to ensure that the lab was successful in attaining reaccreditation," said Leonor Cedeno, administrative director of Laboratory Services. "This was a team effort and everyone did their part. I am very grateful to my staff and the leadership of this hospital,” Cedeno said.

The accreditation cycle for the laboratory is effective beginning May 17 and is customarily valid for up to 25 months. The regulatory body reserves the right to shorten or lengthen the duration of the cycle.

The Joint Commission is an independent, not-for-profit organization whose accreditation and certification is recognized nationwide as a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to meeting certain performance standards, according to the organization’s website.