Pennsylvania Act 2006-144 — CLINICAL LABORATORY ACT - GLOMERULAR FILTRATION RATE TESTING

Act text

Session of 2006

No. 2006-144

HB 2639

AN ACT

Amending the act of September 26, 1951 (P.L.1539, No.389), entitled, as amended, "An act defining clinical laboratory; regulating the operation of the same; requiring such laboratories to obtain permits, and to be operated under the direct supervision of qualified persons; imposing certain duties upon the Department of Health; and providing penalties," providing for glomerular filtration rate testing.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. The act of September 26, 1951 (P.L.1539, No.389), known as The Clinical Laboratory Act, is amended by adding a section to read:

Section 13.2. Glomerular Filtration Rate Testing.--The director of a clinical laboratory licensed in this Commonwealth shall provide that when the laboratory tests a specimen to determine the serum creatinine level for a patient age 18 or older, the laboratory shall also calculate the patient's estimated glomerular filtration rate at no additional charge. The laboratory shall include the patient's estimated glomerular filtration rate with its report to the health care professional. Clinical laboratories in health care facilities shall report the estimated glomerular filtration rate based on a protocol developed by the laboratory in consultation with either or both its medical staff or clinical departments. A laboratory shall only be required to calculate and report a patient's estimated glomerular filtration rate if information necessary for the calculation to be considered medically appropriate and valid for the patient has been made available to the laboratory by the health care professional. This section shall not apply to clinical trials and research. Clinical laboratories that do not have information systems capable of providing estimated glomerular filtration rates on an automated basis shall have two years to comply with this section.

Section 2. (2 expired July 1, 2010. The expiration date was contained within the text of section 2.)

Section 3. This act shall take effect in 120 days.

APPROVED--The 9th day of November, A. D. 2006.

EDWARD G. RENDELL