Cytology Proficiency Improvement Act of 2008
Cytology Proficiency Improvement Act of 2008 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to revise national quality assurance standards to assure consistent performance by laboratories of valid and reliable cytology services in order to include requirements that each clinical laboratory: (1) ensure that all individuals involved in screening and interpreting cytological preparations participate annually in an approved continuing medical education program in gynecologic cytology that provides each participant with gynecologic cytological preparations designed to improve locator, recognition, and interpretive skills; (2) maintain a record of program results; (3) require the laboratory director to consider such results and other performance metrics in reviewing the performance of individuals involved in screening and interpreting cytological preparations; and (4) submit the continuing education program results for each individual and plans for corrective action or remedial training in a timely manner to the laboratory's accrediting organization for purposes of review and ongoing monitoring.
Requires the Secretary to terminate individual proficiency testing that was in effect before enactment of this Act.
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.