The NAACLS News

By Dianne M. Cearlock, PhD, Chief Executive Officer

At the September 28, 2018 meeting of the NAACLS Board of Directors, in addition to accreditation and approval awards recommended by the Review Committee on Accredited Programs (RCAP) and the Program Approval Review Committee (PARC), the following items were addressed:

• Elections for Board of Director officer positions were held. Bill Hunt continues for a second and final year as President. Elected as President Elect is Peter Hu.  Pat Ellinger (Secretary), Lynn Brodeur (Treasurer), and Julie O’Sullivan Maillet (Member at Large) are re-elected to their respective positions.  Additionally, President Hunt appointed various Board members to serve as standing committee chairs and review committee liaisons.
• A minor change to NAACLS Conflict of Interest Policy was adopted that clarifies the recording of abstentions from voting and voting rights and privileges when a board or review committee has contributed to the review process for the program under consideration.
• NAACLS will seek membership with the Health Professions Accreditors Collaborative.
• The name and charge of the Site Visit Process Committee, now entitled the Review Process Committee, was clarified and expanded and the committee was moved from “special committee” to Board standing committee status in the NAACLS Bylaws.
• Commencing Fall 2019, all program site visits will be scheduled for two days with the second day schedule variable depending upon factors such as program type, sponsoring institution, initial or continuing status, and program outcomes when applicable.
• Approved to release for public comment is a change to Standard VII.A.2-c that would increase the professional development requirements for PathA program directors. The proposed change would align NAACLS’ requirements for service as a PathA program director with those recommended by the AAPA (professional organization).
• Approved to release for public comment is a change to Standard I.A.3 that would allow a non-degree granting secondary institution that is recognized by the state in which it is located to serve as a program sponsor for Phlebotomy and Clinical Assistant program types only.
• Approved to release for public comment is a change to DCLS Standard I.C.2 regarding requirements for sponsors of DCLS programs.
• An additional phlebotomy competency compliance section is added to the Standards Compliance Guide (NAACLS Entry-Level Phlebotomist Competencies, section 9.00). The amended Standards Compliance Guide may be accessed at www.naacls.org .
• An editorial change to Standard VII.D in the Standards Compliance Guide as it relates to the advisory committee was adopted. Several clarifying amendments were adopted for the Standards Compliance Guide. The amended SCG is available at www.naacls.org .
• An editorial change was made to Standard V.C for clarity. The amended Standard is available at www.naacls.org .
• Minor changes to DCLS Standard VIII.A.4 were adopted. The DCLS Standards may be accessed on the NAACLS website.
• Approved are the following DCLS documents:
  • Standards Compliance Guide
  • Self Study Report Template
  • Self Study Report Review Form
  • Standard VII Matrix

MLS:

Hillsborough Community College, Tampa FL

Louisiana State University-Alexandria, LA

Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI

Nazareth College of Rochester, Rochester, NY

MLT:

Bronx Community College, Bronx, NY

Harrison College-Ft Wayne, Ft. Wayne, IN

New River Community and Technical College, Beaver, WV

Pathologists’ Assistant:

University of Toledo, Toledo, OH

Doctoral Review Committee Meeting

June 14, 2019

NAACLS Office

Rosemont, IL

 Programs Review Committee Meetings

July 17 – 19, 2019

Intercontinental Kansas City at the Plaza

Kansas City, MO

Board of Directors Meetings

September 25 – 27, 2019

The Palms Hotel and Spa

Miami Beach, FL

Two current members and one past member of NAACLS’ Board of Directors received recognition awards from the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) at its Annual Meeting held October 3-5, 2018 in Baltimore, MD.

Patricia Ellinger, MSEd, MASCP, MLS(ASCP)^CMSBB^CM, received the 2018 President’s Award. This award honors an ASCP member who has gone above and beyond in volunteer activities and made significant contributions to ASCP programs and/or activities. As a member of ASCP for over 45 years, Ms. Ellinger has demonstrated an exemplary commitment to service throughout her career as both an educator and supervisor of a major blood bank laboratory. She has given many lectures and workshops and held many leadership positions. Ms. Ellinger is an ASCP Representative to the NAACLS Board of Directors and currently serves as Secretary and as Board Liaison to the Review Committee for Accredited Programs (RCAP).

Joel M. Shilling, MD, FASCP, received the 2018 Israel Davidsohn Awards for Distinguished Service. This award honors ASCP members who have made a significant impact within ASCP through a variety of roles. Dr. Shilling is a Past President of ASCP and has served as an active member of ASCP for 50 years. He has served on numerous committees at ASCP and has served as Chair of the Board of Governors of the ASCP Board of Registry and has been a member of the ASCP Board of Directors. Dr. Shilling served as medical director for Quest Diagnostics from 1990-2014 and presently serves as an independent contractor for Rapid Response Laboratories for Quest Diagnostics. Dr. Shilling is an ASCP Representative to the NAACLS Board of Directors.

Margaret G. Fritsma, MA, MASCP), MT(ASCP)SBB, received the 2018 Mastership. This award honors ASCP members who have made a significant contribution to pathology through sustained service to the profession and to ASCP. Ms. Fritsma recently retired after leading a career that spanned seven years of clinical experiences in the Transfusion Medicine Laboratories at Southern Baptist Hospital in New Orleans, LA, followed by 30 years of academic experience on the faculty at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She has been an ASCP member since the beginning of her career. Ms. Fritsma served on the NAACLS Board of Directors from 2009-2017