There are a lot of acronyms in healthcare. The medical laboratory has an entire test catalog full of them. In addition to our own test names and abbreviations, there are many important acronyms that come from the government or other regulatory bodies, and we have an overwhelming collection of acronyms that requires its own interpretive guide.

The overview below includes common acronyms that laboratory outreach leaders may encounter in their daily work and links to help you learn more.

Federal and regulatory

• CDC: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  An organization focused on preparedness for disease outbreaks and biosafety. It also sets quality standards, provides training, develops new tests, and enhances data sharing.
• CLFS: Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule
  The comprehensive list of fees used by Medicare to pay for clinical diagnostic laboratory tests.
• CLIA: Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (of 1988)
  The primary set of federal regulations that establish quality standards for laboratory testing to ensure accuracy and reliability. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) oversees the CLIA program.
• CMS: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
  The U.S. federal agency that runs Medicare, Medicaid, and other national healthcare coverage programs. 
• FDA: U.S. Food and Drug Administration
  The federal organization that ensures the safety and effectiveness of medicines, food, and other products. This includes reviewing and approving in vitro diagnostic (IVD) devices, such as test kits, reagents, and instruments, for safety and effectiveness to help diagnose, monitor, or treat diseases.
• HHS: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
  HHS is a federal agency responsible for protecting the health of Americans and providing essential human services. HHS oversees programs like Medicare and Medicaid and agencies such as the CDC and the FDA.
• HIPAA: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
  A U.S. law providing data privacy and security provisions for safeguarding medical information and protectingpatient health information privacy and security.
• OIG: Office of Inspector General 
  As part of HHS, this entity prevents and detects fraud, waste, and abuse in federal healthcare programs. Many OIG advisory opinions impact laboratory compliance. 
• PAMA: Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014
  U.S.law requiring Medicare to set clinical laboratory test payment rates based on private insurer rates. The laboratory industry continues to advocate for reform to PAMA.

Laboratory accreditation

• AABB: Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies
  The accrediting body specifically for blood banks and transfusion services.
• A2LA: American Association for Laboratory Accreditation
  A2LA is a U.S.-based accreditation body that uses international standards, including ISO 15189 for medical laboratories.
• CAP: College of American Pathologists
  This organization provides a comprehensive laboratory accreditation program. Inspections are performed by peer laboratory professionals using comprehensive checklists.
• COLA: Commission on Laboratory Accreditation
  The commission provides accreditation for physician office laboratories (POLs) and other community clinical laboratories.
• ISO: International Organization for Standardization
  ISO 15189 is an international standard for medical laboratories, outlining quality and competence requirements for developing management systems, assessing performance, and ensuring reliable results. These standards align with accreditation by other recognized bodies, such as A2LA and CAP.
• TJC: The Joint Commission
  TJC provides accreditation for healthcare organizations, including laboratories. Inspections include a strong focus on continuous quality improvement.

Professional associations and resources

• ACLA: American Clinical Laboratory Association
  A national trade association representing laboratories in the U.S.
• ADLM: Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine
  A global professional association for medical laboratory professionals.
• AMP: Association for Molecular Pathology
  An association that provides structure and leadership to the emerging field of molecular diagnostics.
• ASCLS: American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science
  The professional association for medical laboratory professionals.
• ASCP: American Society for Clinical Pathology
  This society provides a board of certification for medical laboratory professionals. It also offers programs in education, certification, and advocacy on behalf of patients, pathologists, and laboratory professionals.
• ASH: American Society of Hematology
  A global professional association of clinicians and scientists who are working to conquer blood diseases.
• ASM: American Society for Microbiology
  A global professional association for microbial scientists.
• MLN: Medicare Learning Network
  A free resource that provides education and support to understand Medicare policies, billing, and coding to reduce errors and improve compliance. 

Descriptions and links are current as of December 2025.

Find more resources on regulation, compliance, and accreditation on our outreach education webpage.