Report 2007-040 Recommendation 8 Responses

Report 2007-040: Department of Public Health: Laboratory Field Services' Lack of Clinical Laboratory Oversight Places the Public at Risk (Release Date: September 2008)

Recommendation #8 To: Public Health, Department of

This recommendation has been superseded by a recommendation from a subsequent report. See 2015-507 #9.

Laboratory Services should work with its Information Technology Services Division and other appropriate parties to ensure that its data systems support its needs. If Laboratory Services continues to use its internally developed databases, it should ensure that it develops and implements appropriate system controls.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From September 2016

Laboratory Field Services (LFS) is working with the Information Technology Services Division to develop an electronic licensing system for clinical laboratory facilities that will provide better record keeping and tracking of facility licensure, registration, ownership, complaint tracking, enforcement tracking and management reports; accelerate the applications processing time, which will help ensure that all labs testing California specimens are inspected in a timely manner and are in compliance with federal and state laws; centralize the application process for both new and renewal license and registration applications; streamline workload for LFS staff; and establish better accountability for management within Public Health. The application will be developed on the department's existing PEGA System. The PEGA System licensing platform will replace the existing legacy mainframe and will be a foundation on which all new and existing licensing applications are built. The department is developing a scope of work to bring a contractor on-board to begin configuring the licensing system for LFS.

The LFS electronic licensing system now has an approved Stage 1 Business Analysis (S1BA). Department of Technology, Technology Letter 16-08, as of September 12, 2016 delegated approval of S1BA documents to Agency Chief Information Officers (ACIO). As of July 8, 2016 the S1BA was approved by the California Health and Human Resources ACIO. LFS continues to work with the Department's Information Technology Services Division on the Stage 2 Alternative Analysis (S2AA), which is estimated to be completed by December 31, 2016

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: See 2015-507 #9 for the most current assessment

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2014

The status of this recommendation is unchanged.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Not Fully Implemented

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2013

The Information Technology Services Division (ITSD) continues to provide database support to LFS. LFS staff continues to identify and correct data inaccuracies within the existing databases and develop and implement appropriate system controls. LFS and ITSD identified a strategy for replacing the Health Application Licensing (HAL) system and it is incorporated in the CDPH IT Capital Plan.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Not Fully Implemented

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2012

In spring 2012, the Department began consolidating all information technology resources within the Information Technology Services Division (ITSD). ITSD continues to provide database support to LFS. LFS staff continues to identify and correct data inaccuracies within the existing databases and develop and implement appropriate system controls. LFS and ITSD continue to work on identifying a strategy for replacing the Health Application Licensing (HAL) system.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Not Fully Implemented

All Recommendations in 2007-040

Agency responses received after June 2013 are posted verbatim.