Chennai: Chennai''s venerable Ehrlich Laboratory Private Limited is planning to expand its operations by. The 70-year old path lab run by Indra Subramaniam, its managing director, plans to open new outlets. The lab is considering various options like either managing an existing lab on a profit-sharing basis or opening a new outlet by itself and managing the pathological labs in hospitals.

For pathological labs, network expansion will needs to be on the airline networks hub-and-spoke model, with a fail-proof logistics network.

Subramaniam wants her son, Dr S Shravan to chart the growth path for the lab.

Currently working with an overseas healthcare company, Dr Shravan who was a state swimming champ during his younger days, is expected to take an active role in Ehrlich Laboratory''s management shortly.

Meanwhile the lab has been accredited by the Commission on Laboratory Accreditation of the College of American Pathologists (CAP).

According to Subramaniam during the CAP accreditation process, inspectors examine the lab records and quality control procedures for the preceding two years. CAP inspectors also examine the staff''s qualifications, the lab equipment, facilities, safety programme and record as well as the overall management of the lab.

"Few weeks ago, our clinical departments conducted proficiency testing on samples provided by CAP, performed multiple thorough analyses and documented various steps of the process." Once the assessors were satisfied with the accuracy of the reporting, the next step was an on-site inspection to ensure that all international standards of work processes were maintained and adhered to.

"With this accreditation we are now joining the league of pathological labs in seeking business from international markets through the outsourcing of clinical tests," she added.