Today, the American Society for Clinical Pathology submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) urging the agency to abandon its proposed CLIA cytology proficiency testing program in favor of an education-based PT assessment program. In so doing, ASCP joined with its colleagues in the Cytology Proficiency Testing Improvement Coalition. The coalition represents over sixty national and state organizations representing physicians, laboratory medicine, disease prevention, and women's health care advocates.

ASCP's comments opposed the proposed (and current) CLIA cytology PT program as an invalid measure of competency. Among the problems with the program is that even by doubling to 20 the number of slides on which individuals would be tested, it would not be able to assure competency. At that number, approximately 20 percent of those who pass the test may not be adequately skilled in cytology. To ensure that individuals passing the test are competent, individuals would have to review approximately 100 slides—a number that is not feasible and would be excessively costly. Such a requirement would take more than 20 hours to administer.

In place of CMS's proposed PT program, ASCP urged the adoption of a new proficiency testing program built around an educational curriculum. ASCP urged the incorporation of new testing media, such as pathology board and cytotechnologist certification examinations. ASCP noted that its cytotechnologist examination undergoes regular and extensive psychometric and other reviews to ensure it is a reliable, accurate measure of competency. The education-focused assessment program proposed by ASCP and the Coalition meshes with ASCP's certification of maintenance program, which requires cytotechnologists to accrue 36 hours of continuing education under each of the specific areas of the discipline in order to re-certify.

To retrieve a copy of ASCP's comments on CMS-proposed CLIA cytology PT program, click here.