Office Lab Consultant

Lab Administration

Full Time

Day Shift

0800-1630 w/ rotating weekends

Lexington Health is a comprehensive network of care that includes six community medical and urgent care centers, nearly 80 physician practices, more than 9,000 health care professionals and Lexington Medical Center, a 607-bed teaching hospital in West Columbia, South Carolina. It was selected by Modern Healthcare as one of the Best Places to Work in Healthcare and was first in the state to achieve Magnet with Distinction status for excellence in nursing care. Consistently ranked as best in the Columbia Metro area by U.S. News & World Report, Lexington Health delivers more than 4,000 babies each year, performs more than 34,000 surgeries annually and is the regions third largest employer.

Lexington Health also includes an accredited Cancer Center of Excellence, the state's first HeartCARE Center, the largest skilled nursing facility in the Carolinas, and an Alzheimer's care center. Its postgraduate medical education programs include family medicine and transitional year residencies, as well as an informatics fellowship.

Job Summary

Under the direct supervision of the Point of Care Coordinator, the Office Lab Consultant is responsible for the oversight of laboratory testing performed in the Point of Care Testing (POCT). This position monitors all aspects of Laboratory quality, accreditation, and regulatory compliance during physician practice on-boarding and daily operations. Oversight of POCT operations and accreditation/regulatory requirements will include: Completion of on-boarding checklist. Training of POCT personnel. Development of POCT policy, procedure and safety manuals. Oversight of Laboratory daily maintenance and testing quality control. Oversight of performance of proficiency testing. Development and monitoring of a Quality Assurance plan. Implementation of an inventory control system. Assistance with selection of new manual and automated testing systems. Providing clinical testing and specimen processing support. Assistance with client connectivity to the laboratory information system (LIS). The POCT Consultant will inform the physician office staff, practice manager, and clinical director of all requirements needed to comply with CLIA regulations and oversee compliance maintenance through monitoring of personnel training, quality control and quality assurance.

Minimum Qualifications

Minimum Education: Bachelor of Science Degree in Medical Technology, Biological, or Chemical Science

Minimum Years of Experience: 4 Years of relevant experience in the Clinical Laboratory

Substitutable Education & Experience (Optional): None

Required Certifications/Licensure: MT(ASCP) or equivalent certification

Required Training: None

Essential Functions

• Completion of on-boarding checklist during physician office laboratory set-up to ensure that the new office has been provided with appropriate resources and the proper CLIA certification has been obtained for on-site testing.
• Development of policy, procedure and safety manuals for each office.

a. Writes procedures for all POCT on-site testing.

b. Updates manuals annually and presents them for director review.

c. Ensures that all testing procedures have been properly validated prior to implementation.

• Provides training and support for POCT staff to ensure competency for all POCT testing.

a. Training for proper performance of testing to include: i. Following procedures for testing based on manufacturer recommendations to ensure accurate and reliable results. ii. Performing and documenting daily maintenance, quality controls and quality assurance.

iii. Performance of proficiency testing.

iv. Analyzer usage, calibration, and troubleshooting.

b. Evaluation of POCT staff for competency at initial training, 6 month post and annually thereafter.

c. Review of personnel files for documentation of training, competency, and level of education.

d. Assistance with disciplinary action as necessary when a lab policy has been violated.

e. Assistance as needed with interviewing candidates for vacant positions.

Appropriate daily, weekly and/or monthly review of quality control to ensure proper performance of manual and automated testing procedures.

a. Designs and provides maintenance and QC logs for all in-house testing.

b. Ensures that QC programs are established and maintained to identify failures in quality as they occur.

c. Establishes and maintains acceptable levels of analytical performance for each test system.

d. Documents remedial action taken whenever significant deviations from the lab's established performance characteristics are identified and ensures that patient test results are reported only when the system is functioning properly.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Oversight of proficiency testing to ensure enrolment in an approved testing program, proper handling of sample testing and submission of test results for all non-waived tests. Ensures that results are reviewed by the appropriate staff and that a corrective action plan is followed when proficiency testing results are found to be unsatisfactory.
• Development of a Quality Assurance Plan that fits the needs of the Point of Care Testing. Develops a monthly checklist for testing personnel and ensures that QA checks are performed on a monthly basis in order to meet inspection criteria.
• Works closely with the Outreach Laboratory Client Services Coordinator to support an effective working relationship between the physician office staff and the main LMC hospital lab. Informs appropriate LMC Laboratory management staff of issues raised by POCT staff and Physicians. Provides excellent customer service to POCT staff and Physicians.
• Participates in the update and selection of new testing equipment and testing methodologies for the POCTs.
• Maintains inventory control for all reagents, test kits and control materials for all POCTs.

a. Works closely with vendors to establish pricing for current and new testing systems and reagents.

b. Obtains purchasing quotes with documentation needed to present to administration for purchase of new equipment.

c. Ensures that all supplies and reagents needed for POCT functionality are listed in the HIS ordering system and that offices are supplied with lists of the appropriate order codes.

d. Sets up reagent lot sequesters for all POCTs.

e. In conjunction with the Biomedical department, maintains service contracts for POCT quipment.

• Performs all other duties as assigned.

We are committed to offering quality, cost-effective benefits choices for our benefit eligible employees and their families:

• Day ONE medical, dental and life insurance benefits
• Health care and dependent care flexible spending accounts (FSAs)
• Employees are eligible for enrollment into the 403(b) match plan day one. LHI matches dollar for dollar up to 6%.
• Employer paid life insurance - equal to 1x salary
• Employee may elect supplemental life insurance with low cost premiums up to 3x salary
• Adoption assistance
• LHI provides its full-time employees employer paid short-term disability and long-term disability coverage after 90 days of eligible employment
• Tuition reimbursement
• Student loan forgiveness

Equal Opportunity Employer

It is the policy of Lexington Health to provide equal opportunity of employment for all individuals, and to remain compliant with applicable state and federal laws and regulations. Lexington Health strives to provide a discrimination-free environment, and to recruit, select, on-board, and employ all employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, national origin, veteran status, or pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, including but not limited to, lactation. Lexington Health endeavors to upgrade and promote employees from within the hospital where possible and consistent with the employee's desires and abilities and the hospital's needs.