Establishing a Quality Laboratory In a Rural Medical Practice

Abstract

ABSTRACTLaboratory services are not as readily accessible to the rural medical practitioner as to the practitioner in an urban setting. Thus, the office laboratory in a rural medical practice, by necessity, becomes an integral component of that practice. In addition to procedural methodologies, the rural physician must give consideration to the types of laboratory services needed, the requirements for test performance, the factors influencing test costs, the establishment of charges, the necessary protocols and paperwork, the arrangements of the laboratory work area, and the requisite quality control to insure that the office laboratory functions expediently and cost‐accountable.