Holding considerable expertise in laboratory compliance and regulation, Cheryl R. Caskey began her career as a medical laboratory scientist in 1969. From there, she found herself transitioning into more managerial roles, and in 1978, she obtained a Master of Arts in management supervision from Central Michigan University. For over a decade now, Ms. Caskey has excelled as a compliance officer for Delta Pathology, Omega Diagnostics LLC and the Pathology Resource Network, where she provides technical consulting services, reviews records, performs random site visits, and does audits for HIPAA and OIG compliance. Furthermore, her responsibilities also include monitoring regulation changes and updating the staff about new compliance requirements.
Ms. Caskey attributes much of her success to her parents, who raised her and her twin brother, a retired microbiologist, to be independent, self-sufficient, and to have a good, strong work ethic. It has been this work ethic that has driven her to always do her best in everything she does and garnered her a stellar reputation within her field. She has also been incredibly grateful to the other mentors she has had throughout her education and career, who encouraged her to push herself and step outside of her comfort zone. There is much she feels that she wouldn’t have achieved if she hadn’t had that support. Ms. Caskey is particularly grateful to the support she has received from her colleagues and friends in the various professional organizations she is affiliated with.
In order to keep abreast with new developments in her field, as well as to foster professional relationships, Ms. Caskey maintains affiliation with multiple industry organizations. With the American Society of Clinical Laboratory Science, she spent time as a board member and president, roles she also held with the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences. She holds further membership with the Louisiana Society for Clinical Laboratory Science and the Alpha Mu Tau Fraternity. Ms. Caskey considers her tenure as the president of the American Society of Clinical Laboratory Science to be among the highlights of her career, along with receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from the society in 2019.
For her excellence, Ms. Caskey has received a number of honors and accolades, including a multitude of additional awards from the American Society of Clinical Laboratory Science between 1991 and 2015. She is a six-time recipient of the organization’s Outstanding Service Award and two-time recipient of both the Robin H. Mendelson Memorial Award and the Distinguished Author Award. Other honors from the society include the Joseph J. Kleiner Award and being named Member of the Year in 2006. The Louisiana Society for Clinical Laboratory Science also awarded her their Presidential Award for Outstanding Services on three occasions and named her Member of the Year in both 1982 and 2010.
Ms. Caskey considers her greatest achievement to be how extensively she has been able to serve her profession in the various roles she has held over the years. She notes that her favorite aspect of her work is performing audits for HIPAA and OIG compliance, because of the level of detail the process requires, which is something she has always been good at going back to her early work in blood banking. Looking toward the future, Ms. Caskey intends to remain active in her field for as long as she is able, while also being active and involved in her community and going on church mission trips.