Laboratory testing of patients' specimens is an integral component of patient care. Medical assistants often find a role in the clinical laboratory setting, in either the physician's office or a hospital setting. This chapter will introduce you to various types of common laboratory equipment and their use. You will learn about safety in the laboratory mandated by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations and steps to aid in preventing accidents. A discussion of the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA '88) and this law's impact on the laboratory setting is included in this chapter for your understanding of quality assurance, quality control procedures, and required record keeping.

Outline

• The Role of Laboratory Testing in Patient Care
• The Medical Assistant's Role
• Use of Laboratory Equipment
• Safety in the Laboratory
• Quality Assurance Programs
• Communicating With the Patient
• Record Keeping

Learning Outcomes

After completing Chapter 45, you will be able to:

 45.1 Describe the purpose of the physician's office laboratory.
 45.2 List the medical assistant's duties in the physician's office laboratory.
 45.3 Identify important pieces of laboratory equipment.
 45.4 Operate a microscope.
 45.5 Identify the regulatory controls governing procedures completed in the physician's office laboratory.
 45.6 Identify measures to prevent accidents.
 45.7 Describe the goal of a quality assurance program in a physician's office laboratory.
 45.8 Identify the medical assistant's recordkeeping responsibilities.
 45.9 Describe correct waste disposal procedures.
 45.10 Describe the need for quality assurance and quality control programs.
 45.11 Maintain accurate documentation, including all logs related to quality control.
 45.12 List common reference materials to consult for information on procedures performed in the physician's office laboratory.
 45.13 Communicate with patients regarding test preparation and follow-up.

Summary

The physician's office laboratory offers many opportunities for interesting and satisfying work in your role as a medical assistant. Those opportunities carry with them the responsibility to maintain and improve your technical skills; to stay abreast of technological, legislative, and regulatory developments; to take every precaution to prevent the transmission of disease and the occurrence of accidents or emergency situations; and to seek ways to improve the quality of patient care.

Keeping a level head and applying common sense will go a long way toward making your work in the laboratory efficient and accurate. Take time to do a procedure correctly the first time. Be systematic in your approach to investigating equipment and testing problems and their causes. Avoid shortcuts—they lead to mistakes and lost time.

The quantity of information you will need to learn, integrate, and convey to the patient through your actions and educational efforts may be daunting at first. As you gain understanding and confidence in your skills, however, much of it will become routine.