Laboratory services, Department of Public Health and Human Services : performance survey report

36 Pages·1998·0.7 MB·English

by  Montana. Legislature. Legislative Audit Division

Laboratory service
S
362.1 Department of
L72Ls Public Health and
1998 Human Services
ative Audit Division
State of Montana
Report to the Legislature
Performance Survey Report
January 1998
MONT/.riA ^
Laboratory Services »^-
Department of Public Health and Human Services
The Department orPublic Health and Human Services has two laboratories,
the Public Health Laboratory and the Environmental Laboratory. This
performance survey identified potential issues in both laboratories
including:
» Management controls.
*- Management information systems.
>- Laboratory funding and fee structure.
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Direct comments/inquiries to:
Legislative Audit Division
Room 135, State Capitol
PO Box 201705
MT
97P-09 Helena 59620-1705
LIBRARY
milIIIIlTIlllllilWmll?^^
3 0864 0014 5525 5
PERFORMANCE AUDITS
Performance audits conducted by the Legislative Audit Division are designed to assess state government
operations. From the audit work, a determination is made as to whether agencies and programs are
accomplishing their purposes, and whether they can do so with greater efficiency and economy. In
performing the audit work, the audit staffuses audit standards set forth by the United States General
Accounting Office.
Members ofthe performance audit staffhold degrees in disciplines appropriate to the audit process.
Areas ofexpertise include business and public administration, statistics, economics, computer science,
communications, and engineering.
Performance audits are performed at the request ofthe Legislative Audit Committee which is a
bicameral and bipartisan standing committee ofthe Montana Legislature. The committee consists ofsix
members ofthe Senate and six members ofthe House ofRepresentatives.
MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE AUDIT COMMITTEE
Senator Linda Nelson, Chairman Representative Bruce Simon, Vice Chairman
Senator Sue Bartlett Representative Beverly Barnhart
Senator Reiny Jabs Representative Ernest Bergsagel
Senator Tom Keating Representative A. R. "Toni" Hagener
Senator Ken Miller Representative Bob Keenan
Senator Fred VanValkenburg Representative Robert Pavlovich
LEGISLATIVE AUDIT DIVISION
ScottA. Seacat, LegislativeAuditor /^^^^^\ Deputy LegislativeAuditors:
John W. Northey, Legal Counsel S^^^^^ ^™ Pellegrini, PerformanceAudit
Tori Hunthausen, IT& Operations Manager ^S^^^^JI James Gillett, Financial-ComplianceAudit
January 1998
The Legislative Audit Committee
ofthe Montana State Legislature:
This is our performance survey report ofLaboratory Services ofthe Public Health Laboratory and the
Environmental Laboratory within the Department ofPublic Health and Human Services. This report
contains information on both laboratories' operations. Based on our survey findings, we recommend
additional performance audit work be conducted at a later date.
We wish to express our appreciation to department personnel for their cooperation and assistance.
Respectfully Submitted,
Scott A. Seacat
Legislative Auditor
Room 135, State Capitol Building POBox201705 Helena, MT59620-1705
Phone[phone] FAX[phone] E-Mail [email protected]
Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2010 with funding from
IVIontana State Library
http://www.archive.org/details/laboratoryservic1998mont
Legislative Audit Division
Performance Survey
Laboratory Services
Department of Public Health and Human Services
Members ofthe audit staffinvolved in this audit were Laurie Evans, Susan
Jensen, Kris Wilkinson and Mike Wingard.

Table of Contents
List ofFigures and Tables iii
Appointed and Administrative Officials iv
Chapter I - Introduction Introduction 1
Survey Objectives 1
Survey Scope and Methodology
1
Report Organization 2
Chapter II - Background Introduction 3
Environmental Laboratory 5
F>ublic Health Laboratory 6
Funding Sources 7
Chapter III - Laboratory Introduction 9
Reorganization and Reorganization 9
Reviews Safety Review 9
Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment Certification
Review 10
Chapter FV - Audit Survey Introduction 13
Findings
Management Controls 13
Department Actions 15
Management Information System 15
Funding ofLaboratory Operations 15
Laboratory Funding 16
Laboratory Fees 16
Certification ofPrivate Laboratories 16
Results fi"om Customer Questionnaires 17
Respondents Use ofLaboratory Services 17
Reasons for Using Laboratories 19
Turn-around Time for Samples 20
Customers Request Other Services 21
Summary 21
Page
i
&
List of Figures Tables
Figure 1 History ofLaboratory Services Reorganization
(1978 through Present) 4
Table 1 Laboratory Services Bureau Revenues and Expenditures 8
Table 2 Use ofEnvironmental Laboratory 18
Table 3 Use ofPublic Health Laboratory 18
Table 4 Reasons Why Customers Use the Environmental Laboratory 19
. .
Table 5 Reasons Why Customers Use the Public Health Laboratory ... 20
Page
ii
Appointed and Administrative Officials
Department ofPublic Laurie Ekanger, Director
Health and Human
Services Nancy Ellery, Administrator, Health Policy and Services Division
Mike Billings, Administrator, Operations and Technology Division
Dr. Michael Spence, State Medical Officer and Public Health
Laboratory Director
Kathleen Martin, Chief, Communicable Disease and Epidemiology
Bureau
Paul Lamphier, Manager, Public Health Laboratory
Debra Fulton, Manager, Environmental Laboratory
Page
iii