Authority: IC 16-28-1-7

Affected: IC 16-28-5-1

Sec. 49. (a) The facility must provide or obtain laboratory services to meet the needs of its residents. The facility is responsible for the quality and timeliness of the services.

(b) If the facility provides its own laboratory services, the services must meet the applicable requirements for coverage of the services furnished by independent laboratories specified in 42 CFR 493.

(c) If the facility provides blood bank and transfusion services, it must meet the requirements for laboratories specified in 42 CFR 493.

(d) If the laboratory chooses to refer specimens for testing to another laboratory, the referral laboratory must be approved or licensed to test specimens in the appropriate specialties and/or subspecialties of service in accordance with the requirements of 42 CFR 493.

(e) If the facility does not provide laboratory services on-site, it must have an agreement to obtain these services only from a laboratory that meets the requirements of 42 CFR 493.

(f) The facility must:

1. (1) provide or obtain laboratory services only when ordered by the attending physician;
2. (2) assure that the attending physician is promptly notified of the findings;
3. (3) assist the resident in making transportation arrangements to and from the source of service, if the resident needs assistance; and
4. (4) file in the resident's clinical record laboratory reports that are dated and contain the name and address of the testing laboratory.

(g) The nursing facility must provide or obtain radiology and other diagnostic services to meet the needs of its residents. The facility is responsible for the quality and timeliness of the services.

(h) If the facility provides its own diagnostic services, the services must meet the applicable rules for licensure of these services.

(i) If the facility does not provide its own diagnostic services, it must have a written agreement to obtain these services from a provider or supplier that is licensed under applicable state rules.

(j) The facility must do the following:

1. (1) Provide or obtain radiology and other diagnostic services only when ordered by the attending physician.
2. (2) Promptly notify the attending physician of the findings.
3. (3) Assist the resident in making transportation arrangements to and from the source of the service if the resident needs assistance.
4. (4) File in the resident's clinical record signed and dated report of x-ray and other diagnostic services.

(k) For purposes of IC 16-28-5-1, a breach of:

1. (1) subsection (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f)(1), (f)(2), (g), (h), (j)(1), or (j)(2) is a deficiency; and
2. (2) subsection (f)(3), (f)(4), (i), (j)(3), or (j)(4) is a noncompliance.

(Indiana Department of Health; 410 IAC 16.2-3.1-49; filed Jan 10, 1997, 4:00 p.m.: 20 IR 1558, eff Apr 1, 1997; readopted filed Jul 11, 2001, 2:23 p.m.: 24 IR 4234; readopted filed May 22, 2007, 1:44 p.m.: 20070613-IR-410070141RFA; readopted filed Sep 11, 2013, 3:19 p.m.: 20131009-IR-410130346RFA; readopted filed Nov 13, 2019, 3:14 p.m.: 20191211-IR-410190391RFA; readopted filed Nov 14, 2025, 11:18 a.m.: 20251210-IR-410240588RFA)