1. (1) The hospital shall maintain, or have available, adequate laboratory services to meet the needs of its patients.

2. (2) Adequacy of laboratory services. The hospital shall have laboratory services available, either directly or through a contractual agreement with a certified laboratory.

   1. (a) Emergency laboratory services shall be available 24 hours a day.
   2. (b) A written description of services provided shall be available to the medical staff.
   3. (c) The laboratory shall make provision for proper receipt and reporting of tissue specimens.
   4. (d) The medical staff and a pathologist shall  determine which tissue specimens require a macroscopic (gross) examination and which require both macroscopic and microscopic  examinations.
3. (3) The hospital’s laboratory shall have a current federal CLIA number.

Author: W.T. Geary, Jr., M.D., Carter Sims

Statutory Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§22-21-20, et seq.

Editor’s Note: Rule .13 was renumbered to .20 as per certification filed August 24, 2012; effective September 28, 2012.

History: Filed September 1, 1982. Repealed and New Rule: Filed November 18, 1994; effective December 23, 1994. Repealed and New Rule: Filed August 24, 2012; effective September 28, 2012.