Introduction

Blood tests are done routinely in the hematology, immunohematology (also referred to as the blood bank), chemistry, and immunology (also called serology) departments of the laboratory. The degree of blood testing performed by medical assistants depends on the level of service offered by the ambulatory care facility and the regulations established by the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA). As a medical assistant, you are qualified to perform CLIA-waived procedures described in the physician office laboratory (POL) sections of this chapter. More highly complex CLIA blood tests are performed at reference and hospital laboratories by medical laboratory personnel. This chapter explains more complex procedures to provide background information that is important for understanding the analysis of blood.