HCPro.com: Laboratory Compliance Insider

Each month with Laboratory Compliance Insider you get more of our exclusive working tools: model guidelines, policies, forms, etc., that you can use to comply with OIG and CMS, reduce claim denials, and get paid in full and on time.

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June 2008 (Volume 5, Issue 6)	view entire issue

Provide HPV testing protocol reminders
Human papillomavirus (HPV) testing has become an important topic in women's health. Your laboratory's full understanding of the test is critical to protect patient health. You can ensure test accuracy by developing procedures to handle the test, say experts Ann Moriarty, MD, FCAP, vice chair of the CAP Cytopathology Committee and a pathologist at AmeriPath Indiana in Indianapolis, and Diane Davey, MD, FCAP, past chair of the CAP Cytotechnology Committee and assistant professor of pathology at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine in Orlando. Follow our experts' advice on what the laboratory should do before, during, and after the HPV test.

Comply with OSHA chemical hygiene rules
OSHA requires laboratories that handle hazardous chemicals to develop and implement a chemical hygiene plan, says Terry Jo Gile, MT(ASCP), MA, Ed, "The Safety Lady®," a laboratory safety expert in North Fort Myers, FL. The plan must protect employees from health hazards associated with hazardous chemicals in your laboratory and keep exposures below specified limits. A hazardous chemical is one that may cause acute or chronic health effects in exposed employees.

Questions remain on implementation of new ABN form
The May LCI outlined the most recent information about the new ABN form. Beneficiaries now have three options: Obtain the item or service and require submission of a Medicare claim Obtain the item or service but agree not to submit a Medicare claim or expect payment (this is the new option) Refuse the item or service The new ABN form has been out for a few months. Below are some additional clarifications from our experts.

What you need to know about CAP inspection time frames
In the past, after the CAP inspection team visited your facility, a follow-up visit would typically occur six months later. This year, inspectors won't come to call until three months before the anniversary date of your last inspection, says R. Bruce Williams, MD, FCAP, chair of the council on accreditation for CAP, who practices with The Delta Pathology Group in Shreveport, LA. For example, if a laboratory has an anniversary date of October 1, it can expect an inspection three months prior (July 1-October 1), rather than six months prior (April 1-October 1).

Other recently-published articles from Laboratory Compliance Insider:

LCI 2008 index

Coming soon: Labs get ready and debate rages as ICD-10 implementation date approaches

Acronym attack? Tips to survive the new MAC/RAC world

Quality control, compliance in the genomics era

OIG addresses lab concerns in its 2009 Work Plan

Signature requirements cause labs headaches

Debate over licensing for technologists continues

Keep the chargemaster from being a taskmaster

Joint Commission offers options to combat disruptive acts

Incident-to rules rescinded, laboratories need not worry

Genetic testing raises questions about laboratory tests

CoP rule hardens blood safety requirements

Laboratories celebrate landmark victory

Secrets to success in processing medical necessity paperwork

A proactive approach to self-disclosure protocols

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