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The ICAVL office is fully staffed with knowledgeable technical and support professionals who are ready to answer any questions you may have while completing the application for accreditation. Below is a listing of some of the most frequently asked questions:
NEW ONLINE APPLICATION FAQS
Don't see the question you were looking for? Contact the ICAVL staff for assistance.
Do we have to select a 3rd case from the dropdown list?
Yes, if other/secondary testing is performed, you must select this 3rd case from the dropdown list.
Does the Technical Director have to be represented in the case studies?
Yes, the Technical Director must have performed a submitted case study. The Medical Director also must have interpreted a submitted case study. All medical and technical staff must be represented before repeated.
How long does the ICAVL accreditation review process take?
Once the application is submitted online and the supporting documentation (case studies, final reports, etc.) from the laboratory are received in the ICAVL office, the accreditation review process generally takes approximately 12 to 16 weeks to complete and the decision returned to the facility. This date is contingent upon when the application is received in the office. There are no fixed deadlines to submit the application. For details on complete review process, visit the ICAVL Application Review section»
What is the first step to beginning the accreditation process?
The ICAVL Standards must be referenced when completing the ICAVL Online Accreditation application. Whether applying for first-time accreditation or reaccreditation, the first step toward success is a review of the Standards by every member of the laboratory staff involved in the application process. Visit the Standards section to review and download the current 2010 ICAVL Standards.
How do I obtain my user ID and password for the ICAVL Online Accreditation application?
Laboratories applying for their initial accreditation will receive an e-mail with their user ID and password once they request access to the application. For currently accredited labs or labs applying for reaccreditation, your personalized login information was e-mailed when the ICAVL launched the Online Application format in October 2009. For questions or assistance with your login information, contact the ICAVL staff at 800-838-2110 or by
e-mail at icavl@intersocietal.org.
Is there a time limit to completion once I begin working on my Online Accreditation application?
No, accessing ICAVL Online Accreditation for the first time does not obligate the laboratory to apply for accreditation within any given period of time. Access to ICAVL Online Accreditation and your account is good for the life of your facility.
Do you have sample documents for review?
Yes, the ICAVL now offers several checklists and sample protocols, reports and more on the website. To view the sample documents, visit www.icavl.org/icavl/seeking/sample_documents.htm.
How do I upload my documents into the Online Accreditatioin application?
Applicant laboratories are required to upload and submit all attachments electronically. Laboratories may scan the documents in and save them to a local computer or save them to another storage device for upload. Many file types may be uploaded from the computer or storage device to the appropriate attachment questions in the application questionnaire. For additional information, visit the Attachments section.
How may I review my uploaded documents?
After uploading a file to an attachment question in the questionnaire, a new link called “Previously Uploaded Document” will appear. Select this link to view the file you uploaded. Occasionally, security settings prevent users from opening documents easily. To view a document you may be having difficulty with, hold down the control key on your keyboard and do not release the control button until the document opens; then select the link “Previously Uploaded Document."
How do I determine the primary examination for my laboratory?
Generally, the complete diagnostic examination with highest reported volume in each testing section is considered the primary exam.
What exactly is a secondary examination?
A secondary examination is any examination in each testing section that is performed in addition to your primary examination.
Is it true that the QA matrix is no longer required?
Yes, the QA matrix is no longer required.
What are the ICAVL accepted methods of correlation?
- For arterial examinations: Digital subtraction angiography, contrast enhanced computed tomography, magnetic resonance angiography and operative findings.
- For venous examinations: Repeat examination by a second examiner at the same setting, Clinical outcome, over-reading of the final interpretation, comparison with venography or surgical pathology.
How do I know if my CME are acceptable?
The CME must be relevant to vascular testing. To be relevant, the course content must address principles, instrumentation, techniques or interpretation of vascular testing. 10 of the 15 CME required for medical staff must be AMA Category 1. View the requirements»
Is the musculoskeletal CME mandatory for the Technical Director?
No, this is a recommendation for the Technical Director.
How do I appropriately inform you of a change in Medical Director or Technical Director?
Complete and submit the form for new Medical Director or Technical Director, available for download from the ICAVL website. For currently accredited laboratories, select “Maintaining Compliance” from the menu on the left, then select “Changes Within the Lab” to download the form. For laboratories seeking reaccreditation, select “Preparing Your Submission” from the left menu, then select “Changes Within the Lab” to download the form. If there is a change in Medical Director or Technical Director and a replacement has not been appointed in the first 30 days, notification must still be submitted. The laboratory then has an additional 30 days (total of 60 days) to notify the ICAVL of the individual appointed to the position.
Is RPVI mandatory for each reading physician in our application?
No, the RPVI is not mandatory. It is introduced in the 2010 Standards revisions as an additional qualification pathway for medical staff.
May I get a printed copy of my laboratory’s ICAVL application?
The ICAVL does not have or maintain printed (hard) copies of the online application questionnaire. After an application is submitted, any authorized user may log in to the online account at any time and view a read only version of the completed application.
How do I print out a hard copy of the online application?
At this time, an option to print a full copy of the online application is not available. However, the application questionnaire may be printed page by page. To print a page directly from Internet Explorer and most browsers, hover your cursor over the screen to be printed, and then right click. Select “Print…” from the menu list that appears and then select the Print button on the screen as you normally would. Or, you may select ‘File’ from the menu at the top of your browser window, then underneath select ‘Print’.
What do I do if one of my doctors only inteprets one type of test?
At the end of the Online Accreditation Application, there is a box for additional clinical information. You can write a short explanation here for anything in the application that may need to be further explained.
Are we required to interpret CCA, ECA, SCA and vertebral artery stenosis and provide criteria for these vessels?
It is not a requirement to interpret CCA, ECA, SCA and vertebral artery stenosis. However, if a lab chooses to interpret these vessels, referenced diagnostic criteria must be submitted and must state how velocity measurements, spectral Doppler waveform and imaging are used to document the disease.
How does a required site visit decision differ from the random site visit or audit?
As part of the IAC accreditation process, applicant laboratories could potentially be required to undergo a site visit of their laboratory. During the process of rendering an accreditation decision, the Board of Directors may determine that a site visit is required in order to better assess the laboratory and determine the final accreditation decision.
Read more about Accreditation Decisions»
The random site visit or audit will be performed at an undisclosed date and will occur after the laboratory is granted accreditation by the IAC.
Are all accredited laboratories required to undergo a random site visit or random audit?
Yes, in an effort to further substantiate continued compliance by accredited laboratories and in response to the requirements sanctioned by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for CMS appointed Accreditation Organizations as part of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA), the IAC has implemented a policy requiring all accredited laboratories to undergo an audit or site visit at some time during their three-year accreditation period. Read more about Random Site Visits and Audits»
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