When may I resubmit my application to address deficiencies?

Applicants who do not meet the requirements for Accreditation after the initial review may resubmit their application as soon as they are ready and may do so multiple times within the 12‑month period following the date of the formal notification letter.

Each resubmission must address all remaining deficiencies identified by the review panel. Submissions that fail to respond to every deficiency will not be reviewed. Applicants are required to resubmit only the sections deemed deficient, along with any revised narratives or appendices necessary to address the panel’s concerns; a full application resubmission is not required.

All applications—whether from first‑time applicants or laboratories seeking re‑accreditation—are evaluated using the same criteria. Applications must be complete, reflect current practices and procedures, and include payment of the current accreditation fee prior to panel review. For re‑accreditation applications, review is conducted by a new panel, and criteria previously satisfied may require clarification or updated documentation. Re‑applicants are also expected to demonstrate measurable improvement, advancement, and maturation since the prior review cycle.

Applications that are copied from previous submissions without substantive revision are unlikely to meet current standards. As noted in the CMLA Quality Improvement Statement, minimum acceptable criteria may evolve as professional standards advance and as the field continues to develop. Applicants should therefore carefully review and update each section of the application to ensure accuracy, relevance, and alignment with current operations. All applicants are encouraged to review the current application format and criteria in the Applications Portal before preparing a submission.

Including a cover letter with any resubmission is strongly encouraged. For applicants seeking re‑accreditation, such a letter may summarize changes since the previous application, including updates to policies or procedures, changes in scope of services, staffing transitions, equipment upgrades, patient population shifts, or outcomes of quality assurance and continuous quality improvement initiatives. For all applicants, the cover letter should clearly explain how each identified deficiency has been addressed. Applicants are advised to resubmit early within the 12‑month revision period. The CMLA has up to 90 days to review each resubmission, and if the revision period expires before the review process is complete, no additional opportunity will remain to correct deficiencies. Once the 12‑month revision period has elapsed, the only option to change accreditation status is to submit a new application with the required application fee.