(1) It is the purpose of this chapter to protect the public health, safety, and welfare of the people of this state from the hazards of improper performance by medical laboratories. Medical laboratories provide essential services to the patient by furnishing the medical practitioner with vital information that is essential to a determination of the nature, cause, extent, and condition involved, and the people of this state are entitled to receive the highest level of competency, reliability, and accuracy that may be expected from medical laboratories. Unreliable and inaccurate reports may cause unnecessary anxiety, suffering, financial burdens, and even contribute directly to death. It is the intent of this chapter to safeguard the people of this state by regulating the operation of medical laboratories.
(2) The further purpose of this chapter is to authorize the commissioner to enter into agreements with other states pursuant to the Interlocal Cooperation Act, compiled in title 12, chapter 9, for services to be provided by the department's division of laboratories.