Medical Assistant's Roles and Responsibilities in the Lab

Overview

• Medical assistants play a critical role in lab settings within the scope of practice.
• Understanding of laboratory equipment, testing protocols, and lab safety is essential.
• Research and knowledge of the scope of practice for lab work are important.

Regulatory Framework: CLIA

• CLIA: Clinical Laboratories Improvement Amendment
  • Ensures lab accuracy and oversees testing complexity.
  • Provides guidelines for quality assurance and control.
• Medical assistants perform CLIA-waved tests, which are lower in complexity.

Types of Labs

1. Reference Laboratory

   • Located outside of the provider's practice.
   • Patients receive a lab requisition to visit this lab.
   • Results are sent back to the provider.

2. Physician's Office Laboratory (POL)

   • Located within the provider's establishment.
   • Offers quicker turnaround on test results.
   • Eliminates patient travel, offering a one-stop service for consultation and lab services.