This project is part of a cooperative agreement between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL). The primary focus is to conduct a systematic analysis to understand which types of laboratories follow proficiency testing (PT) good laboratory practices (GLPs) and to identify which kinds of laboratories could be targeted to promote PT GLPs. Based upon prior work conducted by APHL and CDC, it appears that many of these laboratories use their PT results internally for quality improvement. Since laboratories already pay for PT materials to meet regulatory requirements, the use of PT for quality improvement purposes has the potential to further improve laboratory quality at no additional cost to US clinical laboratories.
In addition, by conducting this analysis APHL and CDC hope to learn more about the types of laboratories that do not comply with the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA) PT requirements. The survey population frame is 20,500 Certificate of Compliance laboratories and 16,800 Certificate of Accreditation laboratories. All of these laboratories are required to perform PT in accordance with CLIA.
US Code:
42 USC 241
Name of Law: The Public Health land Welfare
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.