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- 2025 CAP Outstanding Contribution to Pathology Informatics Standards Award
The College of American Pathologists (CAP) Outstanding Contribution to Pathology Informatics Standards Award, established in honor of Franklin R. Elevitch, MD, FCAP, recognizes a CAP member for outstanding service to informatics standards in pathology. The CAP presents this award when merited, not necessarily on an annual basis.
Nancy E. Cornish, MD, FCAP
The College of American Pathologists presents Nancy E. Cornish, MD, FCAP, with the CAP Outstanding Contribution to Pathology Informatics Standards Award in recognition for her dedication to advancing laboratory informatics and establishing data standards that have improved the quality, safety, and interoperability of laboratory practices nationwide.
As a medical officer and senior advisor for quality and safety within the Division of Laboratory Systems at the CDC, Dr. Cornish helped lead numerous national efforts to strengthen diagnostic accuracy and laboratory reliability.
She spearheaded the CDC Laboratory Test Menu Coding Project, which worked towards standardized coding of laboratory- test orders across institutions to improve consistency and enable effective data exchange. Her work in advancing the use of standardized coding systems, such as Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes and SNOMED-CT, was instrumental in improving electronic health record interoperability.
Dr. Cornish played a critical role in harmonizing laboratory test codes, enhancing communication between clinical laboratories, health care providers, and public health agencies. As a team member on the CDC’s Laboratory Health Information Technology team and co-chair of the Laboratory Messaging Community of Practice, she supported the inclusion of clinical laboratory data elements in the United States Core Data for Interoperability project and helped develop methods to assist the national adoption of data standards and helped address key challenges in laboratory information exchange.
Her commitment to evidence-based best practices and laboratory data quality has contributed to better patient outcomes and more effective public health responses.
Dr. Cornish is the medical officer and senior advisor for Quality and Safety in the Division of Laboratory Systems at the CDC.