[Histonet] CLIA Compliance Regulations for histology staff coverage

[Akemi Allison]

Good morning to all in Histoland!
 
Hopefully, one of you can help me with a question which was proposed to me by a fellow histologist working in a very small GI histology lab. 
 
Here is what information she gave me:  She is training a histology assistant in house to do all the histology technical responsibilities at the request of the GI doctors.  She said her OJT assistant is doing a great job technically, but she has not yet registered in school to finish her  AA Degree so she can sit for the HT exam.  She has been working under her instruction for 1 year.  Her lab is California State and CLIA licensed.
 
The GI doctors want the assistant to cover for her while she is on vacation.  The pathologist who is the medical director does  not think that CLIA Regulations allows this and wants the specimens sent out during her absence.  She needs the CLIA Regulations stating what the guidelines are so her lab is complying to regulations.  She didn’t want to call CLIA because it would send a RED FLAG up.  I also didn’t want to call them because they may ask me what the name of the lab was that was proposing this question.  
 
I told her that this was most likely illegal, but she needs it in black and white.  Do any of you have that information or a web link to go to at your finger tips? She needs the regulations by next week.
 
Thank you in advance for your help,
Akemi
 
Akemi Allison-Tacha, BS, HT/HTL (ASCP) 
Pathology Manager
Monterey Bay GI Consultants
23 Upper Ragsdale Drive, Suite 200
Monterey, CA 93940
(381) 375-3577  X117
Email: aallison <@t> montereygi.com