At Peninsula Urgent Care, our mission has always been clear: to provide safe,accurate, and compassionate medical care for every patient who walks through our doors. We’re excited to share an important milestone in that mission—our on-site laboratory has officially been awarded COLA accreditation, a nationally recognized standard of excellence in laboratory medicine.
This achievement goes far beyond recognition—it means the results you depend on when you’re sick or managing a chronic condition are trustworthy, timely, and held to the highest quality standards in healthcare.
What Is COLA Accreditation?
COLA, Inc. is a national healthcare accreditation organization dedicated to improving the quality of laboratory testing. Their seal of approval is recognized by the federal government and endorsed by major medical organizations including the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Medical Association, and the American College of Physicians.
Accreditation isn’t handed out automatically. To achieve it, laboratories like ours must:
- Demonstrate strict compliance with quality standards
- Perform reliably in proficiency testing
- Pass an extensive on-site survey conducted by COLA experts
- Show ongoing commitment to continuous improvement
This is an accomplishment that directly benefits patients in our community, because it means your lab results are accurate and your care is based on trustworthy information.
Why Accreditation Matters for Patients
When you’re not feeling well, every hour matters. That’s why having a COLA-accredited lab on-site at Peninsula Urgent Care is so important. Here’s what it means for you:
- Accurate Results You Can Trust
Whether it’s a strep test, COVID-19 screening, or blood work, accuracy is everything. Accreditation ensures your results are consistent and correct the first time. - Safer Testing Practices
Accredited labs follow stringent safety protocols, ensuring your samples are handled with care and reliability. - Faster In-House Results
Thanks to our on-site diagnostics, many tests are performed here, reducing the need to send samples to outside labs and allowing our providers to make same-day treatment decisions. - Confidence for Families
Parents can feel reassured that tests for their children are run under nationally recognized standards, while adults managing chronic conditions know their long-term care is guided by reliable data.
The Accreditation Process
Earning COLA accreditation required Peninsula Urgent Care to undergo a comprehensive review of all aspects of our lab operations. This included:
- External Proficiency Testing – proving our test results match national standards
- On-Site Survey – inspection of our lab, staff training, safety practices, and equipment
- Continuous Monitoring – ongoing compliance ensures we remain accountable daily
- Staff Competency – regular training and education for our team to stay aligned with best practices in laboratory medicine
For our patients, this translates into consistent, high-quality care at every visit.
Benefits for the Peninsula Community
This achievement isn’t just about what happens inside our clinic—it’s about how it impacts the entire community.
- Faster urgent care visits – From flu tests to urinalysis, same-day answers help you get treatment faster.
- Better chronic care – Patients monitoring conditions like diabetes or high cholesterol benefit from reliable, repeatable results.
- Community health support – During flu season or public health concerns, accredited testing provides trustworthy data to guide local responses.
- Peace of mind – Families can count on accuracy and safety in every diagnostic service we provide.
We believe accreditation raises the standard of healthcare across the Peninsula region—not just within our walls.
How Peninsula Urgent Care Stands Apart
Not every urgent care center invests in accredited laboratory services. Some outsource testing, while others operate without the same oversight. Choosing Peninsula Urgent Care means choosing a facility that has gone above and beyond for patient safety and accuracy.
Learn more about our services and how we combine compassionate care with advanced medical technology to keep our patients healthy.
Our Ongoing Commitment
COLA accreditation is an important milestone, but it’s just one step in our larger mission. Peninsula Urgent Care will continue to invest in advanced lab technology, staff training, and high-quality aesthetic and wellness services that support whole-patient health.
We are committed to:
- Maintaining the highest standards of laboratory testing
- Expanding access to affordable, patient-centered care
- Partnering with families and individuals to improve community health
You can also learn more about our values and team on our About Us page.
Insurance and Accessibility
We believe quality healthcare should be accessible to all. Peninsula Urgent Care accepts a wide range of insurance plans and works hard to make laboratory testing and urgent care services affordable for every patient.
If you have questions about coverage or billing, our team is here to help.
Conclusion: What COLA Accreditation Means for You
When you visit Peninsula Urgent Care, you’re choosing more than convenience—you’re choosing a medical team and a laboratory that meet the highest national standards for quality and safety.
Our COLA accreditation is proof of our dedication to accuracy, patient safety, and continuous improvement. It’s our way of ensuring that when you need urgent answers, you can trust the results.
📍 Ready to experience care that puts your health first? Contact us today or visit Peninsula Urgent Care and discover the difference of COLA-accredited laboratory services.
