Volume 70 - Fall 1998	Download

To review or renew: that is the question by Monica D. Mitchell, MA Administrative Liaison

If the education of students includes a clinical component, an affiliation agreement signed by both parties must describe the responsibilities of the sponsoring institution and of each affiliate. This description must include the responsibilities for program administration, instruction, and supervision. While Essential/Standard 1 requires that each affiliation agreement be reviewed annually to assure provisions of the agreement are current, agreements do not have to be renewed annually. Program directors may tackle this requirement in a variety of ways.

Katherine Nisi Zell, the CLT/MLT Program Director at Coastal Georgia Community College, sends affiliation agreements to be renewed through the legal office of the Board of Regents at her institution every three years. All university systems in the state of Georgia do this. Annually, these documents are reviewed through a Memorandum of Understanding which requires a signature and may include minor changes (e. g. , a clinical affiliate wants students three days a week instead of five). Major changes must go back through the Board of Regents and legal office channels. Affiliation agreements help ensure students a place to do their clinical rotations. Ms. Zell further believes that they allow institutions to, "show their commitment to education and educational programs. "

At Arkansas State University, CLS/MT and CLT/MLT Program Director Mary Jean Rutherford sends her affiliation agreements through legal channels for renewal at two or five year intervals. These agreements are reviewed annually and if any alterations are necessary, they are sent back through legal review to be approved at all levels. Ms. Rutherford points out that, "as amendments are made to acts such as CLIA-88 and changes are made to OSHA, JCAHO or CAP standards and hospital administrative policies, annual review ensures that agreements reflect these changes. " This in turn ensures that the program has students, faculty and administration who can knowledgeably comply.

Phyllis Ann Muellenberg, the CLS/MT Program Director at Nebraska Medical Center, has a clause in her affiliation agreements by which the agreements are automatically renewed annually unless one of the parties chooses to revise or alter the document. The agreement is reviewed annually as part of the administrative process. Following an annual meeting a separate Memorandum of Agreement is signed by representatives at the clinical sites and sponsoring program officials to confirm the review and acceptance of the agreement. For Ms. Muellenberg, affiliation agreements serve as, "a legal protection for all parties; the sponsoring institution verifies professional liability coverage on students and further outlines responsibilities in terms of educational components and health and safety issues. " Adds Ms. Muellenberg, "It is important for clinical affiliates to know that they do have a right to maintain patient care without disruption by students. Clinical sites, in return, agree to provide certain things to students such as a safe and supportive learning environment, supervision of instruction, and documented evaluation of required competencies. "

While annual review of affiliation agreements is necessary, it is not synonymous with the renewal of affiliation agreements. Thus, annual review can be dealt with by simpler means which are often more efficient and effective for the institutions involved. NAACLS requires programs to demonstrate compliance with Essentials and Standards. How a program demonstrates this may be unique and still conform to institutional and NAACLS policies.

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