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Essential 1 states that a sponsoring institution must have a current, signed affiliation agreement with clinical and/or academic affiliates. The document must address the general purposes of the agreement, such as reasons for the agreement, the responsibilities of the academic and clinical facilities and the joint responsibilities. In addition, specific items must be addressed, i.e., supervisory responsibilities for the students, student professional liability coverage, student health and safety policies, provision for renewal, a termination clause providing for program completion of enrolled students and documented annual review to assure provisions of the agreement are current. The process for securing a signed affiliation agreement is no longer an easy task. Most institutions, academic and clinical, have a review process that passes through many layers of administration and may take up to one year to complete. Numerous programs and affiliates have written a clause in the agreement that states the agreement is in force until either party notifies the other to the contrary. Drawing frequent attention to affiliation agreements has been problematic for some programs. The NAACLS Board of Directors has recommended to the Review Committees that they be as flexible as possible in regard to how they interpret what is meant by a "current, signed affiliation agreement" and "documented annual review to assure provisions of the agreement are current" and still protect both parties and the student. In other words, if the affiliation agreement is signed by both parties, even at the levels involving laboratory management and program officials, that contract may be considered in effect until notification of either party to the contrary. It need not be signed every year. Furthermore, the "annual review" may be either a formally signed document or may be the minutes of the required annual meeting where both parties were present and discussed and reviewed the agreement. The signed informal reviews or minutes of the meeting must be filed and available for review by site visitors as evidence of the annual review. It is hoped that this broader interpretation of Essential 1 will provide flexibility for programs. At the same time, it should not compromise the quality of the programs that are accredited or approved.
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