Changes to Pathology Review Requirements Impact CoC Site Visits in 2023

Standard 5.1: College of American Pathology (CAP) Synoptic Reporting will be revised with substantive updates for 2023. Starting January 1, 2023, the current version of Standard 5.1 will be retired. An updated standards manual will be released in early 2023 that includes the following changes:

• The review of pathology reports during the site visit to evaluate that the required CAP elements are present in synoptic format will be removed starting with 2023 site visits.
• Standard 5.1’s current measure of compliance will be replaced with a requirement to perform an internal audit of pathology reports to evaluate whether the report includes all required elements and is in synoptic format. Programs will be expected to comply with the updated standard by January 1, 2024.
• Standard 3.2: Evaluation and Treatment Services will be revised to require accreditation for anatomic pathology by a recognized organization. Programs will be expected to comply with the addition to Standard 3.2 by January 1, 2024.

Additional details and the specifics of the revised requirements will be included in the forthcoming updated version of Optimal Resources for Cancer Care (2020 Standards).

The Site Visit Sample Agenda and Instructions have been updated to reflect the changes for 2023 site visits. Specifically, only lung and rectal cancer patients who underwent surgical resections will need to be included in the accession list that is provided to the Site Reviewer. Review the Site Visit Sample Agenda and Instructions for more detailed guidance.