Report 2007-040 Recommendation 5 Responses
Report 2007-040: Department of Public Health: Laboratory Field Services' Lack of Clinical Laboratory Oversight Places the Public at Risk (Release Date: September 2008)
Recommendation #5 To: Public Health, Department of
This recommendation has been superseded by a recommendation from a subsequent report. See 2015-507 #4.
To strengthen its complaints process, Laboratory Services should identify necessary controls and incorporate them into its complaints policies. The necessary controls include, but are not limited to, receiving, logging, tracking, and prioritizing complaints, as well as ensuring that substantiated allegations are corrected. In addition, Laboratory Services should develop and implement corresponding procedures for each control. Further, Laboratory Services should establish procedures to ensure that it promptly forwards complaints for which it lacks jurisdiction to the entity having jurisdiction.
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From September 2016
Laboratory Field Services (LFS) revised its complaint policies and procedures; increased staffing dedicated to focusing on complaints by three full-time staff, and enhanced its complaint database. Changes made to the complaint database include documenting the rationale for not investigating a complaint, and when to perform follow-up investigations to verify corrective action has been completed. In addition, the database now has a reporting function that provides "due dates" of complaint investigations, which staff review to ensure that the appropriate timeframes are being met.
LFS staff was trained on the new complaint policy and procedures on August 18, 2016.
- Estimated Completion Date: June 2018
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: See 2015-507 #4 for the most current assessment
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2014
The status of this recommendation is unchanged.
- Estimated Completion Date: 9/2015
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Not Fully Implemented
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2013
In March 2009, Laboratory Field Services (LFS) developed a master complaint register that tracks the following for each complaint: the facility or professional identified by the complaint, the sequential case number, date opened, date closed, acuity/priority, acknowledgement of receipt, disposition (letter to facility/professional, referral to outside agency or internal section). LFS uses the complaint register to track complaint investigation or referral to the appropriate agency.
LFS has developed policies and procedures for receiving, processing, and following up on complaints.
Full implementation of these policies and procedures is pending sufficient staffing. LFS continues to identify new Examiner candidates and recruit to fill the remaining 11 vacant Examiner positions. Because Examiner salaries are 30-50 percent lower than those for comparable positions in the private sector, LFS continues to work with CDPH Human Resources Branch to implement a recruitment and retention bonus by fall 2014. LFS is also working with CalHR to remove the requirement for supervisory experience for entry level Examiners to allow more scientists to qualify for the Examiner series. We anticipate completion of this change by June 30, 2015.
- Estimated Completion Date: June 30, 2015
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Not Fully Implemented
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2012
In March 2009, LFS developed a master complaint register that tracks the following for each complaint: the facility or professional identified by the complaint, the sequential case number, date opened, date closed, acuity/priority, acknowledgement of receipt, disposition (letter to facility/professional, referral to outside agency or internal section). LFS uses the complaint register to track complaint investigation or referral to the appropriate agency.
LFS has developed policies and procedures for receiving, processing, and following up on complaints (attached).
In March 2009, LFS developed a master complaint register that tracks the following for each complaint: the facility or professional identified by the complaint, the sequential case number, date opened, date closed, acuity/priority, acknowledgement of receipt, disposition (letter to facility/professional, referral to outside agency or internal section). LFS uses the complaint register to track complaint investigation or referral to the appropriate agency.
LFS has developed policies and procedures for receiving, processing, and following up on complaints (attached).
- Estimated Completion Date: June 2015
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Not Fully Implemented
All Recommendations in 2007-040
Agency responses received after June 2013 are posted verbatim.