The NAACLS News

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.

By Megan Eggert, Meetings and Events Planner

NAACLS will conduct a workshop titled, “Seeing a Clear Vision for Your 2020 NAACLS Journey,” on November 8, 2019, from 7:30am-4:00pm in Chicago, IL. The workshop will include a continental breakfast and lunch.

The workshop will be presented by Sally Pestana, MT(ASCP),  and Cecelia W. Landin, EdD, MLS(ASCP)^CM.

Ms. Pestana is Director of Health Continuing Education at the University of Hawaii – Kapiolani in Honolulu, Hawaii. She was a member of the NAACLS Programs Approval Review Committee (PARC) from 2009-2017. She served as PARC Vice Chair from 2011-2014 and PARC Chair from 2014-2017. She has been a member of the Review Committee for Accredited Programs (RCAP) since 2017.

Dr. Landin is Clinical Associate Professor of the Clinical Laboratory Sciences Program at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She served as a member of NAACLS’ Clinical Laboratory Sciences Programs Review Committee (CLSPRC) for four years and as a member of the Review Committee for Accredited Programs (RCAP) for four years. She served as Vice Chair of the RCAP from 2012-2013.

Upon completion of the workshop, and with the opportunity to discuss questions, the participant should be able to:

• Demonstrate understanding of the value accreditation brings to your program and the profession.
• Recognize from both author and reviewer perspective the keys to a successful review.
• Describe each NAACLS standard and recognize potential challenges for your program.
• Utilize the Standards Compliance Guide and other NAACLS resources to write clear and complete accreditation/approval self study reports.

Please visit www.naacls.org for more information and to register. NAACLS can only accept 80 registrants for this workshop. We hope to see you in November!

The National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) serves the public by accrediting and approving programs that prepare competent professionals in the clinical laboratory sciences. A key component of NAACLS’ mission is peer evaluation and achieving this mission depends on the commitment and professional expertise from a wide variety of volunteers. The NAACLS Distinguished Service Award is the highest honor that NAACLS confers upon volunteers that have made extraordinary contributions to NAACLS and its mission. The Distinguished Service Award was created to express the profound gratitude of NAACLS for the tireless service and immeasurable dedication contributed by these often “unsung” volunteers.

NAACLS is seeking nominations for the first ever recipient of this award. Candidates for this award must meet the following qualifications.

• Individuals who are or have been volunteers and not salaried by the sponsoring organizations.
• Individuals who provide(d) extraordinary service to NAACLS and its mission through a wide possible variety of volunteer activities. Examples of such activities include but are not limited to service as self-study reviewer, site visitor, review committees and Board of Directors membership, and participation on Board-appointed task forces. Also to be considered are service to health professions education or the accreditation process. Examples could include but are not limited to volunteer services to other accrediting agencies or the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

Proposed candidates can be emailed to nomination@naacls.org, or sent via mail to 5600 N. River Road, Suite 720, Rosemont, Illinois, 60018. If possible, please include candidate contact information.

All nominations must be received by July 5th, 2019.

The summer 2019 cycle includes programs that will have site visits during spring 2019 and will be placed on the agenda for the summer 2019 meeting of the review committees. Recommendations from the committees will be acted upon by the Board in fall 2019.

MLS:

Albany College of Pharmacy, Albany, NY

Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, TN

Carolinas College of Health Sciences, Charlotte, NC

Franciscan Health Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN

Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital, Sayre, PA

Inova Fairfax Hospital, Falls, Church, VA

Inter-American University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR

Lake Charles Memorial Hospital, Lake Charles, LA

Louisiana State University, New Orleans, LA

Louisiana State University, Shreveport, LA

Mercy Integrated CLS Program, Toledo, OH

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.

Standard I.A.3. Proposed Standard Change PDF

Standard VII.A.2.c Proposed Standard Change PDF

DCLS Standard I.C.2 Proposed Standard Change PDF

All of the current standards are available on the NAACLS website.

We are pleased to introduce the following new members of the NAACLS Review Committee for Accredited Programs (RCAP) and Programs Approval Review Committee (PARC):

Candice Grayson, MS, MA, MT(ASCP), is the Program Coordinator of the Medical Laboratory Technology Program at the Community College of Baltimore County in Baltimore, MD. She is a MLT Educator on the Review Committee for Accredited Programs (RCAP).

Michelle M. Costas, MHS, PA(ASCP), is the Program Director, Department of Pathology, at West Virginia University in Morgantown, WV. She is a Pathologists’ Assistant Educator on the Review Committee for Accredited Programs (RCAP).

Edwin M. Beitz, MHA, MLS(ASCP)^CM, is the Program Director of the Medical Laboratory Science Program at York Hospital in York, PA. He is a MLS Educator on the Review Committee for Accredited Programs (RCAP).

Ericka Hendrix, PhD, MB(ASCP)^CM, is the Program Director, Department of Lab Sciences and Primary Care at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Lubbock, TX. She is a DMS Educator on the Review Committee for Accredited Programs (RCAP).

Frankie Harris-Lyne, MS, MLS(ASCP) ^CM, is a Professor Emeritus at Northern Virginia Community College in the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC. She is a MLT Educator on the Review Committee for Accredited Programs (RCAP).

Keri Brophy-Martinez, MHA, MT(ASCP), is the Program Director of the Phlebotomy Program at Austin Community College in Austin, TX. She is a Phlebotomy Educator on the Programs Approval Review Committee (PARC).