Proficiency Testing Referral: What You Don't Know Can Hurt You (a Lot)

Time Stamps

00:00 Podcast Intro 

01:25 What is proficiency testing?

04:10 Proficiency testing insures my lab is actually getting the accurate results? 

05:26 What is proficiency testing referral and why is it important for laboratory medical directors, administrators, supervisors and staff to be aware of PT referral rules? 

07:54 Why would laboratories refer proficiency testing to another external lab?

12:05 What’s happening at working to reduce this risk for me? Taking Essential Steps for Testing (TEST) Act of 2012

15:23 These are “near-miss” events and definitely something to learn from, discussing how the holes lined up, what occurred, and now here’s your opportunity to patch that hole?

17:04 What new trends in laboratory medicine have increased the risk of sanctions for proficiency testing referral?

19:55 What are the most effective strategies to prevent proficiency testing referral?

22:26 Are there good resources for this education? Or is every lab on their own to create content?

23:17 In your experience, being on committees and doing inspections at hospitals, what has surprised you most about this issue of PT and referral?

26:17 How do you approach training pathology residents and fellows in understanding proficiency testing, what they are responsible for, how do they trouble shoot a proficiency failure? I imagine it’s difficult to introduce that topic.

28:10 Outro

Additional Resources:

CMS Brochure on PT Referrals @ cms.gov