The Highest of Standards

Ascend Clinical’s ethical standards reflect a commitment to respect clients, patients, staff and the laws and regulations that govern our industry.

• We do our utmost to guard the privacy and security of the protected health information clients entrust us with as a means to providing the best possible healthcare to their patients
• We maintain up to date laboratory instrumentation and calibration to ensure the best results for client lab tests
• We screen prospective employees to provide the best source of client service and provide on-going training to assist our employees in staying proficient
• Our compliance office stays abreast of emerging legislation affecting our industry as a means of assisting Ascend Clinical with up to date compliance with laws and regulations

Safety and Integrity

The laboratory meets all federal and state safety and health standards required by the Occupational Safety & Health Act (OSHA) and state medical waste requirements. Department of Transportation (DOT) requirements for specimen shipping are met through providing appropriate shipping containers and training to our clients. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidance is followed for staff, client, and patient health.

Compliance with Federal Laws

Ascend Clinical meets compliance with the Department of Health Services (DHS), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Office of the Inspector General’s (OIG) guidance for laboratory ethics and standards. This includes requirements for electronic health record privacy and security under HIPAA and HITECH laws, the Deficit Reduction Act requirements regarding conflicts of interest and OIG guidance regarding annual review of standing orders.

Standards of Conduct

In addition to the myriad of annual inspections from outside agencies, Ascend Clinical monitors its own standards of conduct through periodic internal audits, open door reporting policies regarding standards and confidential reporting methods should an employee believe it necessary. Ascend Clinical provides on-going employee and client training regarding the standards set by CMS, OIG, DOT, OSHA, and other regulatory agencies.

Compliance with State Laws

Ascend Clinical is licensed in states requiring state laboratory certification. Please reference our “Accreditation” page for a list of those states and the certification maintained.