Section 31-22-1. Definitions

   As used in this chapter, the term:

   (1) "Board" means the Board of Community Health.

   (2) "Clinical laboratory" means a facility for the biological, microbiological, serological, chemical, immunohematological, hematological, biophysical, cytological, pathological, or other examination of materials derived from the human body for the diagnosis of, recommendation of treatment of, or for the purposes of providing information for the diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of any disease or impairment of, or the assessment of the health of human beings; the term "clinical laboratory" shall include specimen collection stations and shall include blood banks which provide through their ownership or operation a system for the collection, processing, or storage of human blood and its component parts as well as tissue banks which procure, store, or process human or animal tissues designed to be used for medical purposes in human beings.

   (2.1) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of community health.

   (2.2) "Department" means the Department of Community Health.

   (3) "Director" means a person who is responsible for the administration of the technical and scientific operation of a clinical laboratory, including supervision of procedures for testing and the reporting of results.

   (4) "Person" means any individual, firm, partnership, association, corporation, the state or any municipality or other subdivision thereof, or any other entity whether organized for profit or not.

   (5) "Specimen collection station" means a place having the primary purpose of either collecting specimens directly from patients or bringing specimens together after collection for the purpose of forwarding them either intrastate or interstate to a clinical laboratory for examination.

   (6) "Supervisor" means an assistant director and a person who, under the general supervision of a clinical laboratory director, supervises technical personnel and performs tests requiring special scientific skills.

   (7) "Technician" means any person other than the clinical laboratory director, supervisor, technologist, or trainee who functions under the supervision of a clinical laboratory director, supervisor, or technologist and performs only those clinical laboratory procedures which require limited skill and responsibility and a minimal exercise of independent judgment. The degree of supervision by the clinical laboratory director, supervisor, or technologist of a technician shall be determined by the director, supervisor, or technologist based on:

   (A) The complexity of the procedure to be performed;

   (B) The training and capability of the technician; and

   (C) The demonstrated competence of the technician in the procedure being performed.

   (8) "Technologist" means a person who performs tests which require the exercise of independent judgment and responsibility, with minimal supervision by the director or supervisor, in only those specialties or subspecialties in which he is qualified by education, training, and experience.

Ga. L. 1970, p. 531, § 2; Ga. L. 1971, p. 247, § 1; Ga. L. 1982, p. 1081, §§ 1, 2, 6, 7; Ga. L. 1991, p. 94, § 31; Ga. L. 1991, p. 349, § 1; Ga. L. 2005, p. 1190, § 1/SB 51; Ga. L. 2009, p. 453, § 1-5/HB 228; Ga. L. 2011, p. 705, § 4-16/HB 214.