1. What are the professional components of clinical pathology services?

The performance of professional clinical pathology interpretation involves the use of medical judgment and most definitely constitutes the practice of medicine. Even though professional component clinical laboratory services are not the same type of face to face patient services that many other physicians provide, they are medical services, which only licensed pathologists are properly educated, trained and qualified to perform. The professional component of clinical pathology services are not necessarily completely automated, nor are they simple computer printouts. Pathologists devote time and effort to the professional component of clinical laboratory services. Clinical laboratory services meet the recognized definition of patient care because they contribute directly to the diagnosis, care and treatment of individual patients. The services can be performed only by physicians with specialized training. Professional laboratory services are medically necessary and are separate and distinct from the hospital's technical components of clinical laboratory services.

2. Do the certification or accreditation requirements address the professional component of clinical pathology services?

The federal and state certification standards require that hospital laboratories contract with the pathologists to provide professional component services. Many state license and certification issues also require the provision of professional components of clinical pathology services.