Hello laboratory professionals! I’d like to introduce myself to the readers of Laboratory Watch. My name is Cynthia Bruzzi, and I was recently named Medical Director of Anatomic and Clinical Pathology at COLA. As such, I and guests will be the new authors of this Laboratory Watch blog. In this space, I’ll discuss new and emerging laboratory technologies, current laboratory regulations as well as laboratory issues that I have a particular interest in. I hope you’ll join me in the conversation! Before diving in … I thought I would provide a bit of background about myself.
I’m originally from El Paso, Texas but attended college at the University of Pennsylvania, where I also met my husband. I returned to Texas to attend medical school at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. Following graduation, I made my way back east to start an anatomic and clinical pathology residency at the George Washington University Hospital in Washington, D.C. After residency and a year of cytopathology fellowship at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA, I was happy to settle in Maryland with my husband, son, and twin daughters.
Since I began practicing professionally, I’ve had the opportunity to work in several large hospitals as well as smaller private laboratories. In these staff pathologist positions, I’ve also been able to serve as director for both microbiology and cytology departments. My various professional experiences have strengthened my appreciation for the importance of laboratory medicine in the overall picture of patient health. All of us in laboratory medicine play a critical role in quality patient care.
I first became acquainted with COLA when I worked as medical director for an in-facility laboratory. I still remember one of my first COLA surveys and how impressed I was with the surveyor. The surveyor showed extreme attention to detail and was able to identify patterns in laboratory findings. COLA has employed Surveyors and Technical Advisors since being granted deemed status in 1993 by CMS to provide laboratory accreditation. All have former laboratory experience as laboratory scientists, team leads and managers. They undergo extensive training through our annual COLAcares training, monthly technical meetings and a coaching approach. COLA is also the only laboratory accreditation provider that operates its accreditation program in accordance with a quality management system certified to ISO 9001:2015.
I am so excited to join the executive team at COLA! They are an amazing group of individuals with a strong culture of openness, direct communication and a commitment to ensuring quality laboratory medicine.