The NAACLS News

The NAACLS Board of Directors is requesting public comment for proposed Standards changes. To view the potential Standards changes, as well as the process to submit your comments, please download the files linked below.

Public Comment for Standard V.D

Public Comment for Standard V.A.1

Public Comment for Standard II.B

At the September 27, 2019 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:

• The long-delayed Accreditation Management System (AMS) project is paused awaiting Board review of the project and its direction. A task force was appointed to review continuation of the project as well as alternative technological improvements. The task force will make recommendations to the Board.
• Minor edits to the Interim Report Guidelines were approved for clarity. The edits pertained to the summary of changes that occur with the program since the most recent award. These edits are effective immediately.
• Revisions to the DMS preamble (competencies) were adopted. These revisions help differentiate the competencies in diagnostic molecular science expected for DMS professionals as opposed to those encountered by the medical laboratory scientist. Diagnostic molecular science has had influences on the core laboratory but those technologies do not encompass all the competencies expected of a DMS.
• Approved for release for public comment were edits to Standard II.B. (Assessment/Outcomes), Standard IV.A.1.d (Publications), and Standard V.D (Operational Policies) with corresponding edits to the Standards Compliance Guide and other documents (as appropriate). Calls for 30 day periods for public comments to these proposed changes will be released by NAACLS shortly.

NAACLS is very pleased to introduce its new Board of Directors’ President, Peter Hu, PhD, MS, MLS(ASCP)^CM, CG^CM, MB^CM. Dr. Hu has been involved with NAACLS since 2004 and has served NAACLS in many capacities. We are pleased to feature a Q&A with our new Board of Directors’ President:

Please provide a brief synopsis of your professional background:

I am currently Dean Ad Interim in the School of Health Professions (SHP) at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX.  I am also a Professor and the founding Director of the Molecular Genetic Technology and the Graduate Diagnostic Genetics Programs at MD Anderson.

I received my Bachelor’s degree from Purdue University in 1990 with a major in Psychology. I later received my Master’s degree from Lamar University majoring in Microbiology and subsequently a Doctor of Philosophy from Trident University International in Healthcare Administration and Molecular Genetics.  I hold three specialty clinical certifications in Molecular Biology, Cytogenetics and Clinical Laboratory Science through the American Society for Clinical Pathology. I joined MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC) in1995 and have worked in both clinical and academic environments.

Due to a new requirement by NAACLS’s recognition agency, the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), our “Find a Program” page will direct the public to a Accredited/Approved program’s outcomes. We gather these links in our annual survey (coming soon) and check them throughout the year to verify they are working and contain the information required by NAACLS Standards.

The implementation time for this requirement was brief. If you have any question about your program’s current listing, please contact staff.

Will you start working on a self-study in the next year? Are you hosting a site visit, and not quite sure of the expectations?

“Seeing a Clear Vision for Your 2020 NAACLS Journey,” will guide you through the NAACLS review process from not only a program director’s perspective but also from the standpoint of a reviewer. If you are a new program director, this workshop being held on November 8, 2019, will help you become familiar with the NAACLS Standards. You’ll get a jump start on your eventual review process by gaining skills and tips on steps you can do now, that will make your job easier later.

Presented by two of our most experienced reviewers, Sally Pestana, MT(ASCP), and Cecelia W. Landin, EdD, MLS(ASCP)CMthe “Seeing a Clear Vision for Your 2020 NAACLS Journey,” gives a detailed look at our standards and review process. Our longer November workshops allow time for question and answer sessions and provide access to our presenters.

NAACLS realizes that the review process can be intimidating. With this in mind, we put a lot of work into the development of these workshops. We are confident that this workshop prepares you for the journey ahead.

You can download the materials necessary for registration here.

We hope to see you November 8^th in Chicago. Please note NAACLS can only accept 80 registrants.