Medical Direction of Clinical Laboratories
At PBM, we take our responsibility to monitor and direct the activities of the various laboratories that we do business with very seriously. We spend a significant amount of time and effort to make certain that all pertinent medical guidelines and policies are meticulously followed. To accomplish this high standard of excellence, our pathologists must complete a lengthy medical residency program. In addition, Federal Certification Standards and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations standards require that certain professional, organizational and administrative services be provided in the clinical laboratory to assure quality laboratory services to patients:
- Assuring that tests, examinations, and procedures are properly performed, recorded and reported;
- Interacting with members of the medical staff regarding issues of laboratory operations, quality, and test availability;
- Designing protocols and establishing parameters for performance of clinical testing;
- Recommending appropriate follow-up diagnostic tests, when appropriate;
- Supervising laboratory technicians and advising technicians regarding aberrant results;
- Selecting, evaluating, and validating test methodologies;
- Directing, performing, and evaluating quality assurance and control procedures;
- Evaluating clinical laboratory data and establishing a process for review of test results prior to issuance of patient reports;
- Assuring the hospital laboratory’s compliance with state licensure laws, Medicare conditions, Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations standards, the College of American Pathologists Laboratory Accreditation Program and federal certification standards.