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Due
to the pressures associated with working in the demanding environment
of healthcare, often some of the additional responsibilities
of having an accredited laboratory can be overlooked. When granted
accreditation, all laboratories are required to adhere to the
policies and standards set forth by the ICANL throughout their
accreditation period.
Below
are a few of the key elements to keep in mind in order to avoid
placing a laboratory's accreditation at risk, maintain optimal
communication with the ICANL and assist in the assurance of
accurate representation of the laboratory's commitment to quality
through the process of accreditation.
- The laboratory
must notify the ICANL, in writing, within 30 days,
of any change in the Medical or Technical Director
positions. If vacated, these positions must be
filled with qualified individuals within 60 days
of the change and the appropriate documentation
submitted to the ICANL.
- The laboratory
must notify the ICANL, in writing, within 30 days,
of any change to the laboratory name, address,
ownership, or significant change in operation.
- The laboratory
must notifiy the ICANL of changes in the email
address of the Medical and Technical Directors
or the general laboratory email.
- If the accreditation
is expired, lapses or is suspended for any reason,
use of the ICANL logo is strictly prohibited.
- If additional
sites are added to the laboratory, they are not
considered accredited until several things occur.
First, a multiple site application is submitted
and reviewed. Next, the lab will be notified of
a site visit date. Once the site visit has taken
place, the final decision regarding the additional
site will be made at the Board of Directors' next
decision deadline. Laboratories may submit an
additional site for consideration prior to the
Board decision, 4 times a year. An additional
site may be added at any time during the accreditation
cycle, but will expire at the same time the main
site accreditation expires.
- Although not
required by the ICANL, updating the list of mobile
sites serviced by the laboratory will help in
avoiding conflicts with insurance payers who routinely
seek information from the ICANL regarding the
sites serviced by accredited mobile services.
Mobile services are not considered accredited
until a mobile service application has been submitted
and notification is received by the ICANL.
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- Although not
required by the ICANL, updating the list of interpreting
medical staff in the laboratory will help in avoiding
conflicts with insurance payers who routinely
seek information from the ICANL regarding physician
providers. The ICANL does not accredit individuals
alone, rather the entire nuclear medicine / nuclear
cardiology laboratory as a whole. The appropriate
credentials and applications must be submitted
for review prior to any changes within our database.
- Accreditation
is valid only for those specific testing areas
granted by the ICANL. Use of the accredited laboratory
logo or other forms of implied accreditation status
in conjunction with other testing that may be
performed in the laboratory is strictly prohibited.
- Adherence to
the ICANL Standards must be maintained
throughout the accreditation cycle. The ICANL
can request additional documentation to assure
continued compliance at any time. Ways to help
assist in maintenance of the ICANL Standards
are:
- documentation
of formal laboratory/QA meeting minutes
- regular review
of examinations performed by all technical
staff members to assure technical quality
and complete documentation in conjunction
with the ICANL Standards and the laboratory
protocols
- routine review
of final reports from each medical staff member
to confirm reports' content and adherence
to the laboratory's diagnostic criteria
- the Standards
are reviewed and potentially revised every
two years; when notified of the Standards
revisions, update protocols and/or policies
to reflect the most current requirements and
implement immediately
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It
is not uncommon for the ICANL to receive concerns and complaints
regarding a given accredited laboratory's lack of adherence
to the requirements of the ICANL Standards and policies.
These written grievances come from patients, professional contacts,
and employees of accredited laboratories. Any complaint is taken
seriously and further investigation is initiated whenever warranted.
By
upholding the standards of accreditation and complying with
the ICANL policies, laboratories contribute toward maintaining
the integrity of the accreditation process, as well as illustrate
to all the true commitment to quality care that defines the
ICANL accredited laboratory.
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