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- 2022 CAP Pathology Advancement Award
The College of American Pathologists (CAP) established the CAP Pathology Advancement Award in 2013 to recognize a person or team who demonstrates components of foresight, resolve, and untiring commitment to both evolutionary and revolutionary undertakings that advance the positioning of the pathologist in the house of medicine and the delivery of safer patient care. It recognizes efforts that are neither easy nor obvious, and the recipient will often be a change agent.
Gaurav Sharma, MD, FCAP
The College of American Pathologists presents Gaurav Sharma, MD, FCAP, with the 2022 CAP Pathology Advancement Award in recognition of furthering the discipline of pathology and supporting the mission and activities of the CAP. Specifically, over the past decade, his contributions and leadership in the field of laboratory accreditation and innovative programs distinguish him as a change agent.
Dr. Sharma currently chairs one of the CAP’s quality management programs, the CAP 15189 Committee. The CAP 15189 program is a strategic international initiative enabling accredited US-based and overseas laboratories to achieve global recognition and empowering global outreach for the CAP. For the chair position of this important program’s committee, the CAP entrusts pathologists who have been nationally recognized for their laboratory quality management systems and their ISO expertise. Dr. Sharma is one of these rare individuals.
During Dr. Sharma’s tenure as chair of the CAP 15189 Committee, the program has grown by 26% in US and overseas markets. Growth was achieved despite COVID-19 and travel restrictions. As chair, Dr. Sharma worked with Caroline Maurer, CAP 15189 program director, to keep the program’s focus as a voluntary value-add amid a disrupted business environment. At the 2021 CAP Annual Meeting, he shared a comprehensive presentation on the CAP 15189 program’s positive outcomes and customer experience.
Dr. Sharma is passionate about fostering collaborations between clinicians and the clinical laboratory. In 2020, Dr. Sharma was one of the CAP delegates to an online educational session for health care administrators. He highlighted the issues with supply chain management and COVID-19 test limitations. At the CAP’s 2021 Pathologist Leadership Summit, he shared his experience around bridging the gap between the clinical laboratory, the C-suite, and other hospital departments. In 2022, Dr. Sharma was invited on the American Hospital Association’s Advancing Health podcast to speak on standardizing the collaboration framework between clinicians and the clinical laboratory.
Dr. Sharma's service to the CAP and the profession of pathology is multi-dimensional. His efforts showcase the unique value of pathologists and propel the growth of CAP 15189. The combination of his education and untiring commitment to accreditation and quality is scarce in the pathologist community. His service made a measurable impact on the advancement of CAP 15189 and beyond.
Dr. Sharma is a pathologist and division head of regional laboratories, medical director of point-of-care testing, and associate medical director of the clinical pathology core laboratory at Henry Ford Health System and Henry Ford Medical Group in Detroit.