The Joint Commission requires laboratories to be accredited by how many organizations?

• A. Two
• B. Three
• C. Four
• D. Five

Answer: (B)

Under CLIA, labs can earn deemed status by being accredited by CMS-recognized accrediting organizations. The Joint Commission is one such body, but there isn’t a requirement to be accredited by three different organizations. A single accreditation from any approved organization—such as The Joint Commission, CAP, COLA, or AAAHC—satisfies the deeming requirement. The important idea is meeting the standards of one recognized accrediting body to demonstrate quality and safety, not hitting a fixed count of organizations.