Title 42

SECTION 493.1423

493.1423 Standard; Testing personnel qualifications.

§ 493.1423 Standard; Testing personnel qualifications.

Each individual performing moderate complexity testing must -

(a) Possess a current license issued by the State in which the laboratory is located, if such licensing is required; and

(b) Meet one of the following requirements:

(1) Be a doctor of medicine or doctor of osteopathy licensed to practice medicine or osteopathy in the State in which the laboratory is located or have earned a doctoral, master's, or bachelor's degree in a chemical, physical, biological or clinical laboratory science, or medical technology from an accredited institution; or

(2) Have earned an associate degree in a chemical, physical or biological science or medical laboratory technology from an accredited institution; or

(3) Be a high school graduate or equivalent and have successfully completed an official military medical laboratory procedures course of at least 50 weeks duration and have held the military enlisted occupational specialty of Medical Laboratory Specialist (Laboratory Technician); or

(4)(i) Have earned a high school diploma or equivalent; and

(ii) Have documentation of training appropriate for the testing performed prior to analyzing patient specimens. Such training must ensure that the individual has -

(A) The skills required for proper specimen collection, including patient preparation, if applicable, labeling, handling, preservation or fixation, processing or preparation, transportation and storage of specimens;

(B) The skills required for implementing all standard laboratory procedures;

(C) The skills required for performing each test method and for proper instrument use;

(D) The skills required for performing preventive maintenance, troubleshooting and calibration procedures related to each test performed;

(E) A working knowledge of reagent stability and storage;

(F) The skills required to implement the quality control policies and procedures of the laboratory;

(G) An awareness of the factors that influence test results; and

(H) The skills required to assess and verify the validity of patient test results through the evaluation of quality control sample values prior to reporting patient test results.

[57 FR 7172, Feb. 28, 1992, as amended at 58 FR 5234, Jan. 19, 1993]

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