Regulatory Standards & Ethics Flashcards
7 cards from real CMT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Regulatory Standards & Ethics flashcards as text
What is the primary purpose of a chain of custody in specimen collection?
Answer: To document the handling of a specimen from collection to final result
Chain of custody documents every person who handles a specimen and every transfer, ensuring integrity especially in legal or forensic cases.
Under HIPAA, a 'covered entity' includes which of the following?
Answer: A health insurance plan
HIPAA defines covered entities as health plans, healthcare clearinghouses, and healthcare providers that transmit health information electronically.
Which ethical principle supports a patient's right to make their own healthcare decisions?
Answer: Autonomy
Autonomy is the ethical principle that respects an individual's right to make informed decisions about their own medical care.
A laboratory is required to report a confirmed case of tuberculosis to which authority?
Answer: The local or state public health department
Tuberculosis is a notifiable disease, and laboratories are legally required to report confirmed cases to the local or state health department.
What is the consequence of performing high-complexity testing without proper CLIA certification?
Answer: Civil and/or criminal penalties and loss of Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement
Performing testing beyond a lab's CLIA certification can result in civil penalties, criminal charges, and exclusion from federal reimbursement programs.
Which document must a laboratory maintain to demonstrate ongoing compliance with CLIA quality control requirements?
Answer: Quality control logs and records
CLIA requires laboratories to maintain quality control records that document daily checks ensuring test accuracy and reliability.
A patient asks the medical technician to explain the risk of a procedure. The technician is unsure. What is BEST practice?
Answer: Refer the question to the supervising clinician or physician
Explaining procedural risks is within the scope of the licensed physician or supervising clinician, not the medical technician.