Ask the Expert
Barry Craig, MLT (NCA), CLC
Lab Coordinator, CHS
Member POCCA (Point of Care Coordinators Alabama)
Member Helena Laboratories Focus Group
M
oving On
Moving is one of the most
exciting and dreaded
events rolled into one. I
have moved seven times in
eleven years; so personally, it is one of the
most dreaded events for me. This month we
are going to look at moving, from the lab’s
perspective.
A new CMS 116 lab application must be
submitted to your state CLIA office for all
moves. First we have to determine why you
are moving. Is it just a change of location
or also a change of ownership? If it is
simply an address change, you would
simply mark “Other” for the first section
and indicate “address change.” You then
provide the new address and fill in the rest
of the form. However, if it is a change of
ownership precipitating the move, a new
CLIA license must be obtained. You will
need to apply for a new license using the
new Tax ID number and address. In either
case, you may have additional state forms
to fill as well.
Moving is also a good time to clean out.
Throw out any expired products, expired
supplies, etc. There are some charity
organizations that will take old analyzers,
supplies, etc. for use in charity work in
third world countries.
Now that we have dealt with leaving and
cleaning out, let’s look at the considerations
for the new space in the new location. Is
there adequate space for the lab? You need
counter space, storage space, adequate
lighting, heating and cooling that will
provide a constant temperature, and a
space that is enclosed and separate from
the patient spaces.
If you are moving
instrumentation,
you have special
considerations.
The best decision is to have the manufacturer
move the instrument. They may charge
to do this, but you are guaranteed a
good move. If you choose to move the
instrument yourself, you risk voiding the
warranty on your instrument. Any
damages or problems with the
instrument resulting from the move are
the responsibility of the office and are
not covered by your warranty.
2. You must redo all method validations/
startup validations for your instrument
after a move before you can restart
patient testing. This includes accuracy,
precision, and linear range.
1.
Lastly, remember to notify everyone related
to the lab about your move:
• Contact your medical supply company
• Contact your instrument supply source
• Contact your proficiency testing
provider (you don’t want your PT
specimens being delivered to an
empty building)
• Contact any publications for which you
have a subscription
• File for mail forwarding with the Post
Office
Simply stated, moving is a pain. Hopefully,
these tips will help make the transition
easier.
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