Compliance

Regulatory Compliance Questions & Answers

Q: Can my Pharmacist order my laboratory testing?
A: A large majority of US states have adopted a provision for Pharmacists to work closely with, and act on behalf of, a Physician under specific conditions. The Pharmacist’s authority to deliver patient care is based on an agreement between the Pharmacist and the Physician(s) within parameters set by the state in which they are licensed. This provision is referred to as Collaborative Drug Therapy Management or CDTM.

Additionally, Pharmacists in some states may be licensed to order laboratory tests under the authorization of their licensing board.

Q: What is CLIA?
A: CLIA stands for Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment. It is a set of Federal Laws enacted in 1988. ZRT is fully accredited by CLIA and must comply with all regulations required by the agency that oversees accreditation.

Notice of Privacy Practices

Notice of Privacy Practices - download PDF version
This notice describes how your health information may be used and disclosed, and how you can get access to this information.  Please review it carefully.

With your consent and by federal privacy laws, the laboratory is permitted to make uses and disclosures of your health information for purposes of treatment, payment and health care operations.  Protected health information is the information we create and obtain in providing our services to you.  This may include documentation of your symptoms, test results, diagnoses, and treatment.  It also includes billing documents related to those services.

Use of personal health information for treatment purposes:
We may use your health information to provide laboratory test reports to you or your health care provider.  We may disclose your health information to doctors, nurses, medical technicians, midwives, pharmacists or others who are involved with your care.  For example, a nurse may call from your physician’s office to obtain test results on your physician’s behalf.  We will release the requested information to the nurse.

Use of personal health information for payment purposes:
We may use and disclose your health information for payment purposes, including determinations of eligibility and coverage utilization activities.  For example, we may need to give your insurance company information about the tests performed in order to obtain payment.

Use of personal health information for health care operations:
We obtain services from our insurers or other business associates such as quality assessment, quality improvement, outcome evaluation, protocol and guidelines development, training programs, credentialing, medical review, legal services and insurance.  We will share information about you with such insurers or other business associates as necessary to obtain these services.  For example, we may use your health information in the course of evaluating our customer service.  In addition, we may remove information that identifies you from your health information so this de-identified information can be used for research purposes.

Your Rights Regarding Your Protected Health Information:
The health and billing records we maintain are the physical property of the laboratory.  The information in it, however, belongs to you.  You have a right to:

• Receive a notice that tells you how your health information may be used and shared.
• Decide if you want to give permission before your health information can be used or shared for certain purposes.  However, we may not grant the request.
• Ask that incorrect or incomplete information be removed or changed in your health records.
• Ask that your information not be shared with certain people, groups or companies.
• Ask to be contacted at different places or in different ways, such as through your office or by mail.
• Ask to see and get a copy of your health information.
• File complaints if you believe your health information was used or shared in such a way that is not allowed by law or you were not allowed to exercise your rights.

HIPAA provides an exemption §164.524(1)(iii) in relation to CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments) §42 CFR 493.3(a)(2) as follows: CLIA certified laboratories that are also covered entities are not required to provide individuals with a right of access or to inspect and obtain copies of their private health information if the disclosure of the information to the individual would be prohibited by CLIA.  CLIA requires laboratories to release test results only to “authorized persons” and, if applicable, the individual responsible for using the test results and the laboratory that initially requested the test. “Authorized person” means an individual authorized under State law to order tests or receive test results or both.

Our Responsibilities:
The laboratory is required to:

• Maintain the privacy of your health information as required by law;
• Provide you with a notice of our duties and privacy practices as to the information we collect and maintain about you;
• Abide by the terms of this Notice;
• Notify you if we cannot accommodate a requested restriction or request; and
• Accommodate your reasonable requests regarding methods to communicate health information with you.

We reserve the right to amend, change, or eliminate provisions in our privacy practices and access practices and to enact new provisions regarding the protected health information we maintain.  If our information practices change, we will amend our Notice.  You are entitled to receive a revised copy of the Notice by calling and requesting a copy of our Notice.

To Request Information or File a Complaint:
If you have questions, would like additional information, or want to report a problem regarding the handling of your information, you may contact us via e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or by phone at (866) 600-1636.  Additionally, if you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a written complaint by e-mail or mail to ZRT Laboratory.  You may also file a complaint by mail or e-mail it to the US Secretary of Health and Human Services.

• We cannot, and will not, require you to waive the right to file a complaint with the Secretary of Health & Human Services (HHS) as a condition of receiving services from the laboratory.
• We cannot, and will not, retaliate against you for filing a complaint with the Secretary.

Other Disclosures and Uses Notification

• We may disclose your protected health information for law enforcement purposes as required by law, such as when required by a court order, or in cases involving felony prosecutions, or to the extent an individual is in the custody of law enforcement.
• Federal law allows us to release your protected health information to appropriate health oversight agencies or for health oversight activities.
• We may contact you as part of our marketing efforts as permitted by applicable law.
• Other uses and disclosures besides those identified in this Notice will be made only as otherwise authorized by law or with your written authorization and you may revoke the authorization as previously provided.

If we maintain a website that provides information about our entity, this Notice will be on the website.

Terms of Use

Terms of Use

Welcome to www.zrtlab.com, the website administered by ZRT Laboratory (ZRT) (the “Site”). The information provided on the Site is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between a patient/visitor and his/her health practitioner.

ZRT Laboratory is solely responsible for the content development, and maintenance of this site.

California State residents:
California State health law does not allow the testing of specimens collected or mailed from California without a written authorization from a health care professional licensed to prescribe in California (M.D.; N.D.; D.C.; D.O.; N.P.; and L.Ac.). If you are a California resident and would still like to order online, please visit: http://www.canaryclub.org. This site will help you order online, with a licensed physician, in the state of California.

NY State residents:
New York State health law prohibits the testing of specimens collected in or mailed from New York and prohibits the transmission of data from our laboratory to NY physicians or residents. Therefore, we are unable to process Internet orders at this time.

Terms and Conditions
I understand that I am submitting my health information and ordering tests for informational purposes only. By purchasing a test directly through ZRT I acknowledge that ZRT has contracted with a licensed physician only for the purpose of authorizing the tests I am purchasing. I am responsible for taking the test to my primary care physician for any additional interpretation. I understand that neither the physician authorizing my test, nor ZRT, are diagnosing any condition.

I am under the care of a primary care physician and am not relying on the contracted Authorizing Physician to be my primary care physician.

This website and ZRT Laboratory, are not practicing medicine. The physician who authorizes my test is an independent contractor and is not the agent or employee of this web site. This web site does not direct or control the treatment decisions made by my primary care Physician with respect to my request and this web site is not liable for any negligent act or omission of the contracting Physician; if I wish to set an independent consultation with the contracted authorizing physician, I may do so by clicking here.

In accordance with the United States Arbitration Act, I agree that any dispute arising out of or related to the provision of services by the Consulting Physician or by this web site or its affiliates, or their employees, partners and agents, shall be subject to final and binding arbitration exclusively through the Procedures of the American Arbitration Association. I understand that this agreement is voluntary and that it is also binding on any individual or entity claiming by or through me or on my behalf; and

This document also serves as my informed consent that allows this web site, ZRT Laboratory and its contracted affiliates access to any medical information concerning me, including all medical data contained in the medical records questionnaire, and including, but not limited to, any health information regarding HIV, mental health, alcohol, drug or substance abuse conditions or treatments. ("Medical Information") I hereby authorize the Authorizing Physician to release or disclose to this web site, ZRT Laboratory any and all Medical Information only as needed for the website to perform its duties. I understand that, except for action already taken in reliance on this authorization, I can void this authorization at any time by providing notices to this web site or to the Authorizing Physician. This consent does not give this web site, its parent or sister companies the right to sell my name or information to any third party.

Of All Information, Items, And Services Contained On This Website Are Provided "As Is" Without Warranty Of Any Kind, Express Or Implied

In Using This Web Site, I Understand And Agree; (A) That This Web Site, ZRT Laboratory And Its Contracted Affiliates Are Not Responsible For The Negligent Or Intentional Acts Or Omissions Of Any Health Care Provider Or Supplier That I Make Be Linked With Or For Any Action Or Inaction Taken By Me In Reliance Upon The Information Communicated To Me Via This Web Site; (B) That The Total Liability Of This Web Site, ZRT Laboratory And Its Contracted Affiliates, If Any, Arising From Or Related To Interactions I Have With Or Through This Web Site (Whether The Claim Is Contract, Tort, Warranty, Negligence, Malpractice, Fraud, Or Otherwise) Is Limited To The Purchase Price Of Any Services In Any Relevant Transaction And (C) That This Web Site Shall Not Be Liable For Any Direct, Indirect, Special, Incidental, Consequential, Or Punitive Damages.

In Accordance With The Above Understanding, I Agree To Release This Web Site, Their Employees, Agents, Corporate Affiliates And Related Parties From Any And All Liability Associated With Or Arising From The Authorizing Physician.

If Any Provision Of This Above Agreement Is Held To Be Void, Unenforceable Or Illegal, Then I Agree That The Agreement Will Be, Changed Or Limited Only To The Extent Necessary To Enable The Remaining Provisions To Be Of Full Force And Effect.

Shipping

Shipping Policies

• No PO Boxes - a physical address is required for delivery.
• Orders typically ship within two business days but date & time of order shipment or delivery is not guaranteed.
• Requests for overnight delivery must be received by 11am Pacific Time to ship the same day, do not include weekends or holidays, and may not be available in all areas.
• It is the receiver's responsibility to pay any sales and/or country taxes, international import fees and custom duties.
• New York residents: Due to special restrictions, no orders will be shipped to the state of New York.
• California  residents: Due to special restrictions, no pre-paid orders will be shipped to the state of California without authorization from a health care professional licensed in California to order lab testing.
• Estimated delivery times do not include weekends or holidays. See chart below.

Delivery Type	Expected Delivery Time
Ground	5 days
2-Day	2 days (Puerto Rico must use this option)
Next Day	1 day
International (incl. Canada)	5-10 days

Return Policies

• Shipping fees are non-refundable.
• The original test kit, including all contents and the original Test Requisition must be returned to ZRT Laboratory before any refunds can be issued.
  
  

Website Security

Website Security
ZRT Laboratory takes security very seriously. All personal information in our computers is protected from unauthorized access by a secure firewall and other database security construction. When you submit sensitive information via the website, your information is encrypted and protected using industry standard Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption software. While on a secure page, such as placing an order, there will be a padlock icon on the bottom of Web browser indicating that page is being protected by SSL. We also employ various in-house security strategies to ensure that users' sensitive information is also secure off-line. Only ZRT Laboratory employees who have a business related reason to access your private health information have access to the data base that holds this information.

This site has security measures in place to protect the loss, misuse and alteration of the information under our control. To deliver the world's highest level of trust, Thawte a Verisign company, authenticates our organization, enabling end users to verify your site and communicate via state-of-the-art SSL. This protects confidential information - such as credit card numbers, online forms, and financial data - from interception and hacking.

Proprietary Rights & Restricted Use
This web site's content is copyrighted and protected by U.S. and worldwide copyright laws. This web site's content is also protected by trademark laws, the laws of privacy and publicity, and communication regulations and statutes.

Without prior permission, information may not be copied for use in any way including advertising or publicity pertaining to distribution of materials on this website. You may print a copy of the information contained on this website for personal use only. The information on this website may not be copied into your own server or website without the permission of ZRT Laboratory.

Contacting the Web Site
If you have any questions about this privacy statement, the practices of this site, or your dealings with this Web site, please contact ZRT Laboratory at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .