Početna ► The Law on Medical - Biochemical Activities

The Law on Medical - Biochemical Activities

I. GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1

This Law shall regulate the principles, organisation and implementation of medical-biochemical activities, as part of the health care services of interest to the Republic of Croatia , carried out as a public service and carried out by graduated engineers of medical biochemistry under the conditions and in the way prescribed by this Law.

II. MEDICAL-BIOCHEMICAL ACTIVITIES

Article 2

Medical-biochemical activities shall be part of the health diagnostic activities which analyse biological material (blood, urine, stool, tissue, spinal liquid) with the aim to discover a disease early, to recognise risk factors of a disease, to make diagnosis, to follow up the course of treatment and results by using biochemical, immunochemical, molecular biological and physical analytical techniques as well as information technology.

Medical-biochemical activities shall provide laboratory health care services at the level of primary, specialist-consilium and tertiary health care.

Article 3

The principles of medical-biochemical activities shall be:

•  continuous maintenance and increase in quality of medical-biochemical services in the interest of patients' health ,
•  respect of patients' rights, promotion of a dignified, responsible and professional conduct of graduated medical biochemistry engineers ,
•  respect of professional rules and medical biochemists' ethics and deontology code.

Article 4

Medical-biochemical activities shall be conducted:

a) in medical-biochemical laboratories:

1. general medical-biochemical laboratories,

2. specialist medical-biochemical laboratories,

3. subspecialist medical-biochemical laboratories,

4. clinical medical-biochemical laboratories.

b) with patients

c) in medical practice offices.

The ways of carrying out medical-biochemical activities with patients and in medical practice offices shall be prescribed in regulations issued by the Health Minister upon the recommendation of the Croatian Chamber of Medical Biochemists (hereinafter: the Chamber) and with previously obtained opinion of the Croatian Medical Chamber.

III. ESTABLISHMENT AND ORGANISATION OF MEDICAL-BIOCHEMICAL ACTIVITIES

Article 5

Medical-biochemical activities shall be established and organised within and outside of the health care network in compliance with law.

Article 6

The organisational types of medical-biochemical laboratories shall be:

- a medical-biochemical laboratory within a health institution,

- an independent general or specialist medical-biochemical laboratory in which medical-biochemical activities are carried out as private practice.

Article 7

A medical-biochemical laboratory must have a head.

The head shall be responsible that the work carried out in a medical-biochemical laboratory is legal and professional.

The head must be a graduated engineer of medical biochemistry who fulfils the conditions set out in Article 12, paragraph 2 of this Law.

The head of a general medical-biochemical laboratory, apart from fulfilling the conditions referred to in paragraph 3 of this Article, must also have at least 3 years of working experience.

The head of a specialist medical-biochemical laboratory, apart from fulfilling the conditions referred to in paragraph 3 of this Article, must also be a specialist of medical biochemistry.

The head of a subspecialist medical-biochemical laboratory, apart from fulfilling the conditions referred to in paragraph 3 of this Article, must also be a subspecialist of a particular part of medical biochemistry or a specialist of medical biochemistry.

The head of a clinical medical-biochemical laboratory, apart from fulfilling the conditions referred to in paragraph 3 of this Article, must also be a specialist of medical biochemistry with at least a doctorate degree in science.

Article 8

The Health Minister shall, upon the Chamber's proposal, prescribe in the Book of Regulations the types of tests that medical-biochemical laboratories shall carry out.

Article 9

The Chamber shall keep the register of medical-biochemical laboratories.

IV. MEDICAL BIOCHEMISTS

Article 10

Medical-biochemical health workers are:

- graduated engineer of medical biochemistry,

- graduated engineer of medical biochemistry - a specialist,

- graduated medical biochemist - a subspecialist .

Medical-biochemical activities shall be carried out only by medical biochemists, while the participants in a medical biochemical activity may be: medical laboratory technicians with higher or secondary education qualifications, and medical associates.

Article 11

Medical laboratory technicians with higher or secondary education qualifications, during their regular working shift or while on duty, in laboratory units, in family (general) medical practice doctor's offices and with patients may independently carry out urgent medical tests in accordance with the Regulations on the categorisation of medical-biochemical tests of the Croatian Medical Biochemists Chamber.

Article 12

A graduated engineer of medical biochemistry (hereinafter: a medical biochemist) shall be a health worker who carries out biochemical, haematological molecular-biological and chemical research of biological material in order to determine causes of a disease, protect health, prevent disease and follow up the success of treatment.

General conditions for carrying out medical-biochemical activities shall be:

•  to have a diploma of a graduated engineer of medical biochemistry from the Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry in the Republic of Croatia or a validated foreign diploma of a corresponding university studies degree,
•  to pass a professional exam,
•  to have the citizenship of the Republic of Croatia ,
•  to speak and understand the Croatian language,
•  to be registered at the Chamber's Register, and
•  to have the authorisation for independent work (licence).

Notwithstanding the provisions set out in paragraph 2, subparagraph 3 of this Article, foreigners shall be allowed to carry out medical biochemical activities in the Republic of Croatia in accordance with the rules and regulations that regulate the work of foreigners in the Republic of Croatia.

Special conditions for carrying out medical biochemical activities shall be a specialization, namely a sub-specialization in medical biochemistry.

Article 13

A medical biochemist may start with professional work after being registered at the Medical Biochemists Chamber's Register and after obtaining the authorisation for independent work.

Registration at the Chamber's register shall be done on basis of a medical biochemist's written request, provided he/she fulfils the conditions prescribed in provisions set out in Article 12, paragraph 2, subparagraphs 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6, and in paragraph 3 of the same Article of this Law.

Article 14 

Apart from the Register of medical biochemists, the Chamber shall keep other types of registers and record files.

The Chamber shall keep separate registers for trainees, residents, specialists and sub-specialists, for additional training and education of medical biochemists, and a disciplinary register.

The register of medical biochemists, the files and records kept by the Chamber shall be public books.

Excerpts from the Register of medical biochemists or from other records and files kept by the Chamber, as well as the certificates issued on basis of those registers, files and records shall be public documents.

The content and data recorded in the register of medical biochemists and in other records and files shall be prescribed by the general act of the Chamber.

V. AUTHORISATION FOR INDEPENDENT WORK AND PERMANENT PROFESSIONAL TRAINING OF MEDICAL BIOCHEMISTS

Article 15

The right to work independently shall be granted to medical biochemists who obtain the authorisation for independent work.

The authorisation for independent work (licence) to medical biochemists shall be granted or denied through an administrative act by a body determined by the Chamber's Statute.

Against the administrative act referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article, an appeal shall not be allowed, but an administrative dispute may be instituted.

Types of authorisations for independent work shall be: the authorisation for independent work of a medical biochemist, the authorisation for independent work of a medical biochemist specialist, and the authorisation for independent work of a subspecialist.

The conditions for a medical biochemist to obtain the authorisation for independent work shall be prescribed by the Chamber's general act.

Article 16

Medical biochemists have the right and obligation of a permanent professional training in order to maintain and improve the quality of medical-biochemical health care.

Medical biochemists are obliged to pass a professional expertise test at the Chamber every 6 years in order to renew the authorisation for independent work (licence) in the area of medical-biochemical health care.

The conditions for renewal of the authorisation for independent work (licence) of medical biochemists shall be prescribed by the Chamber's general act.

Provisions set out in Article 15, paragraphs 2 and 3 of this Law shall be applicable to the procedure for renewal and denial of the authorisation for independent work of medical biochemists.  

Article 17

The Chamber may deny or withdraw the authorisation for independent work to a medical biochemist permanently or temporarily.

The authorisation shall be denied/withdrawn temporarily for a period of up to one year, namely, for as long as the reasons for denial/withdrawal exist.

The authorisation shall be denied/withdrawn temporarily in case that:

•  a medical biochemist fails to pass the professional expertise test or does not take the test, and if he/she has been sent for an additional professional training,
•  it has been established that by his/her work, a medical biochemist endangers the health and lives of patients,
•  by the Chamber's decision, or by a legally valid decision of a regular court, or by a decision of another body, a medical biochemist is temporarily forbidden to carry out medical biochemical activities,
•  a medical biochemist carries out health care activities contrary to the existing regulations,
•  it is established that a medical biochemist for any other reasons does not fulfil the conditions for carrying out the health care services.

The authorisation shall be denied permanently in case that:

•  by a decision of the Chamber's court, or by a legally valid court decision or a decision of another body, a medical biochemist is permanently forbidden to carry out medical biochemical activities.

VI. MEDICAL DOCUMENTATION

Article 18

A medical biochemist shall be obliged to keep accurate, detailed and dated medical documentation in accordance with rules and regulations on keeping of files and records in the area of health care, from which at any moment all necessary data can be provided. A medical biochemist is obliged, upon request and in accordance with relevant regulations, to present that documentation to the Ministry of Health, to state administration bodies, to the Chamber or to judicial authorities.

VII. INSPECTION/SEARCH OF A MEDICAL-BIOCHEMICAL LABORATORY  

Article 19 

Inspection/search of the premises of a medical-biochemical laboratory may be ordered only on basis of a written search warrant issued by a relevant court, provided all conditions prescribed by law have been fulfilled.

If a search of a medical-biochemical laboratory has been ordered, the court shall immediately inform the Chamber or its committee in the area where the laboratory concerned is located thereof.

It shall be the right of a medical biochemist or his/her representative, with obligatory presence of two witnesses – of whom one can be a representative of the Chamber, to be present during the search of the medical biochemical laboratory.

During the search of a medical-biochemical laboratory the confidentiality of medical-biochemical documentation and patients' files must not be violated. The search of a medical-biochemical laboratory shall be limited only to documents and files directly linked or related to the criminal offence for which the proceedings have been conducted.

The evidence obtained contrary to the provisions set out in this Article may not be used in the proceedings against medical biochemists and their patients.

VIII. THE CROATIAN CHAMBER OF MEDICAL BIOCHEMISTS

Article 20

The Croatian Chamber of Medical Biochemists is an autonomous and independent professional organisation with qualities of a legal entity and public authorities.

Article 21

Medical biochemists who by performing medical-biochemical activities directly carry out health care services on the territory of the Republic of Croatia must be members of the Chamber.

Other medical biochemists who pass the state examination may become members of the Chamber as well.

Article 22

The Chamber has the following public authorities and duties:

  1. to keep the register of medical biochemists in the Republic of Croatia ,
  2. to grant, renew and deny authorisations for independent work,
  3. to carry out professional supervision of medical biochemists' work,
  4. to determine the lowest labour price for the medical biochemists who have private practices,
  5. to approve individual prices of medical-biochemical services of the medical biochemists who have private practices.

Article 23

The Chamber shall perform the following tasks:

  1. establish the ethics code of medical biochemists and medical deontology,
  2. follow up and supervise the implementation of the ethics and deontology regulations within the medical biochemistry practice and undertake appropriate measures in case of their violation,
  3. give its professional opinion and suggestions when regulations related to development of the health profession are being prepared,
  4. provide the Health Minister with proposals related to human resources needs,
  5. participate in setting out of norms and standards related to medical-biochemical services,
  6. provide protection to citizens in realisation of their rights regarding the quality, content and type of medical-biochemical service provided,
  7. cooperate with the health inspection of the Ministry of Health,
  8. give its opinion about the quality of diagnostic tests, reagents, tools and equipment that are subject to registration,
  9. organise permanent education of its members and additional training in view of broadening and expanding the professional activities related to new diagnostic-therapeutic methods,
  10. prescribe conditions for professional training and education of medical biochemists in view of broadening their activities,
  11. follow up and analyse the problematic and care for coordinated development of medical-biochemical activities,
  12. provide the Health Minister with its opinion on the process of establishing, moving and closing of private practices of medical biochemists, as well as on opening and closing of medical institutions in view of the existing health care network and the professional and economic interests of its members,
  13. provide its opinion related to the work of medical biochemists outside their full regular working hours,
  14. represent and protect interests of its members when concluding contracts with the Croatian Institute for Health Insurance and other insurance companies,
  15. prescribe the methods of advertising and indication of titles of private practices,
  16. give its consent on the price of medical-biochemical services of the voluntary health insurance,
  17. give its opinion about the act of Croatian Institute for Health Insurance which determines the implementation of health-care measures plan and program, forming of the health care prices and other grounds for concluding contracts with health institutions and private medical practitioners who make up the health service network,
  18. provide legal aid to its members,
  19. care about material and other interests of its members,
  20. coordinate relations among its members and actively participate in solving possible disputes between them,
  21. carry out other tasks determined by law.

Article 24

The bodies of the Chamber are: the Assembly, the Executive Board, the President, the Regional Councils, the Court of the Chamber, and other bodies determined by the Statute and general acts of the Chamber.

The organisation, jurisdiction, structure, procedures of election, and the rights and duties of the Chamber's bodies shall be determined by the Statute and other general acts of the Chamber.

Article 25

The Chamber's Assembly shall enact the Statute with the agreement of the Health Minister.

The Statute shall regulate the organisation and the scope of the Chamber's activities, the rights and obligations of its members, its bodies, sources of financing, its general acts, professional services, protections of its members' rights and other issues important for medical-biochemical activities and the Chamber.

Article 26

The Chamber shall inform the Ministry of Health, other bodies of the state administration and relevant bodies of local and regional self-government units, on its own initiative or upon their request, about the situation and problems related to medical-biochemical activities and medical-biochemical profession, and about the measures to be taken in view of improving the medical-biochemical practice and profession and health care of the population.

The Chamber shall cooperate with state bodies and the bodies of local and regional self-government in resolving all issues related to accomplishment of tasks and solving of problems related to medical-biochemical profession. 

Article 27

To accomplish its goals and to carry out its tasks, the Chamber shall acquire financial means from:

- the registration fee,

- the membership fee,

- other sources of income resulting from the Chamber's activities.

The financial means for carrying out the tasks which result from the Chamber's public authority status, established by the provision set out in Article 22, paragraph 3 of this Law, shall be secured from the national budget of the Republic of Croatia .

Article 28

The police, the state attorney's office and courts shall inform the Ministry of Health and the Chamber about all on-going proceedings against medical biochemists.

The Chamber shall have a duty to inform the bodies referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article and the Ministry of Health about all on-going proceedings against medical biochemists where there is an element of a criminal offence involved.

IX. DISCIPLINARY RESPONSIBILITY

Article 29

Medical biochemists – members of the Chamber shall have to appear for any minor or major violations of duty and professional reputation in front of the Chamber's disciplinary bodies determined by the Statute.

A major violation shall be any violation of duty, reputation and medical-biochemical ethics and deontology code, which seriously endangers a patient, taking into consideration the nature of the violated duty, material damage inflicted and other consequences, as well as the circumstances under which it was committed or was failed to be prevented.

A minor violation is any violation of duty, reputation and medical-biochemical ethics and deontology code, which is of a lesser effect.

The Chamber's general act shall determine what is to be considered a minor or a major violation of duty, reputation and medical-biochemical ethics and deontology code.

Article 30

For a minor violation of duty and medical-biochemical professional reputation or the medical-biochemical ethics and deontology code, a reprimand and a fine shall be pronounced.

For a major violation of duty and medical-biochemical professional reputation or the medical-biochemical ethics and deontology code, a warning (which shall be published in the Chamber's gazette), a temporary or a permanent withdrawal of the authorisation for independent work (licence) shall be pronounced.

For violations of duty, medical-biochemical professional reputation or medical-biochemical ethics and deontology code, together with the above mentioned, a penal measure of an additional mandatory professional training may be pronounced as well.

Article 31

For a minor violation, the fine imposed shall be the amount of 1,000.00 up to 2,000.00 kuna, and for a major violation - from 3,000.00 up to 5,000.00 kuna.

Article 32

Disciplinary proceedings shall be initiated by a disciplinary body determined by the Statute ex officio or upon the request of the Chamber's body determined by a general act of the Chamber, or upon the Health Minister's request.

Article 33

The Health Minister shall also have the right of appeal in disciplinary proceedings concerning major violations of duty and medical-biochemical professional reputation.

Article 34

In disciplinary proceedings against a medical biochemist - member of the Chamber, in a relevant way, provisions of substantive criminal law and criminal procedure legislation shall apply.

Article 35

A legally valid (final) decision of the Chamber's disciplinary body by which a fine is pronounced shall be an executive document and the Chamber shall be authorized to demand its enforcement.

Article 36

A suit against the second-instance decision which pronounced a disciplinary measure of either a temporary or permanent withdrawal of the authorisation for independent work shall be allowed to the Administrative Court of the Republic of Croatia .

Article 37

The initiation of proceedings may be undertaken within one year from the date when the Chamber's prosecutor first learnt about the committed violation, or within two years from the date the violation was committed, otherwise the statute of limitation applies.

Statute of limitation regarding the conduct of proceedings shall come into effect three years from the date of its initiation. The limitation period shall be interrupted by any action aimed at conducting the proceedings.

Statute of limitation regarding the implementation of a sentence or a punitive measure comes into effect two years after the sentence or measure pronounced became legally valid and final. The limitation period shall be interrupted by any action aimed at the implementation of the pronounced sentence or measure.

The initiation and conduct of proceedings concerning violations that have elements of a criminal offence shall fall under the statue of limitation according to the rules of substantive criminal law.

X. PROFESSIONAL SUPERVISION

Article 38

The Chamber shall carry out professional supervision of the activities of medical-biochemical laboratories, medical biochemists, medical-biochemical practice with patients and at medical practice offices.

Article 39

Professional supervision shall be organised by the Committee for professional supervision of medical-biochemical laboratories (hereinafter: the Committee) that shall be appointed by the Chamber's Executive Board.

The Committee's tasks shall be to:

  1. prepare a proposal list of the medical biochemists who shall carry out professional supervision,
  2. define professional criteria by which professional supervision shall be carried out,
  3. prepare a yearly plan of professional supervision,
  4. keep records of the professional supervisions carried out and of the measures suggested and undertaken,
  5. prepare a yearly report on professional supervisions,
  6. coordinate the conduct of professional supervisions with the health inspection of the Ministry of Health,
  7. carry out other tasks in accordance with the Statute and general acts of the Chamber. 

Article 40

The Executive Board of the Chamber shall appoint medical biochemists who carry out professional supervision.

Professional supervision shall be carried out by medical biochemists fulfilling the following conditions:

- to be a specialist of medical biochemistry,

- to have a minimum of 5 years of specialist experience.

For conducting professional supervision of specialised and subspecialised medical-biochemical laboratories, the medical biochemist in charge of the supervision must have at least the same professional degree as the head of the medical-biochemical laboratory, namely, the same as the medical biochemist whose work he/she is to supervise.

Article 41

Professional supervision may be regular (scheduled) or special (unscheduled).

Regular professional supervisions shall be carried out once a year in all medical-biochemical laboratories, according to a determined schedule.

A yearly plan of professional supervisions shall be established by the Executive Board of the Chamber.

Special professional supervisions shall be carried out in case a complaint report was filed by a client regarding the work of a certain medical-biochemical laboratory or a medical biochemist or a health technician or another health employee carrying out medical biochemical activities with patients or at medical practice offices.

Special professional supervision may be carried out also on basis of any other piece of information that would indicate such an unscheduled supervision was required.

The Committee shall initiate the proceedings for conducting a special professional supervision by a decision.

Article 42

Professional supervision, in principle, shall be carried out by a medical biochemist from the list of medical biochemists.

Health institutions, medical-biochemical laboratories and units referred to in Article 4 of this Law, graduated engineers of medical biochemistry and other health workers employed in places where professional supervision is carried out, shall be obliged to enable the medical biochemist supervisor to carry out his/her work and provide him/her with all the necessary data and information.  

Article 43

Professional supervision shall include:

•  the organisation of a medical-biochemical laboratory,
•  professional qualifications of the head of the laboratory,
•  professional qualifications of the laboratory staff,
•  job descriptions, duties and responsibilities of the laboratory staff,
•  business operations and activities of the laboratory,
•  professional program of work of the laboratory,
•  standard laboratory procedures (pre-analytical, analytical and post-analytical)
•  internal analytical quality control,
•  external quality assessment,
•  the book of complaints (doctors and patients),
•  permanent training and education of medical biochemists,
•  permanent training and education of health technicians,
•  archiving of the laboratory documentation,
•  security and health (security at work, general protection measures of the laboratory staff, management of biological and other waste),
•  other aspects of supervision deemed necessary in particular cases.

Article 44

Professional supervision shall be notified to the director of the health institution and to the head of the medical-biochemical laboratory, to the medical biochemist who has a private practice and to the health worker engaged in medical-biochemical activities with patients or at a medical practice office, at least seven days prior to its beginning.

On exceptional basis, professional supervision visit may be carried out without prior notification, if urgency is required.

Article 45

The medical biochemist who carries out professional supervision shall make a written report. The report must contain his/her expert opinion, findings and measures proposed.

Other data which the report referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article must contain shall be prescribed by the Chamber.

Article 46

The director of the medical institution, the head of the medical-biochemical laboratory, the medical biochemist who has a private practice, the medical biochemist or health worker engaged in medical-biochemical activities with patients or at a medical practice office, whose work is being supervised, shall have the right to see the report and make a complaint – which shall be noted in the report.

Article 47

Should any important inadequacies be noted regarding the professional work of a medical-biochemical laboratory or a medical biochemist or another health worker engaged in medical-biochemical activities with patients or at a medical practice office, the medical biochemist who carries out the professional supervision shall orally, during the supervision visit, immediately order implementation of necessary measures to correct or eliminate the noted professional inadequacies.

Supervisor's oral intervention/decision must be recorded in the report on the supervision carried out.

The medical biochemist who carries out professional supervision is obliged to issue a written communiqué concerning his/her intervention/decision within eight days from the day of recording it in the report on the supervision carried out.

Article 48

The medical biochemist who carries out professional supervision shall prepare a decision about measures needed for elimination and/or correction of professional irregularities or inadequacies.

Against the decision from paragraph 1 of this Article, the director of the health institution, the head of the medical-biochemical laboratory, the medical biochemist who has a private practice, a medical biochemist or another health worker engaged in medical-biochemical activities with patients or at a medical practice office, who has been supervised, shall have the right of objection to the Chamber's Executive Board within 15 days from the date of receiving the decision.

The objection shall not delay the execution of the decision.

Decision on the objection referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article shall be final.

Against the decision referred to in paragraph 4 of this Article, an administrative dispute may be initiated.

Should during professional supervision some irregularities or inadequacies that fall under the responsibility of a health inspection be determined, the Chamber shall immediately inform the health inspection of the Ministry of Health thereof.

Article 49

How to conduct professional supervision of medical-biochemical laboratories and medical biochemists, the Chamber shall more closely determine in a general act prepared with the agreement of the Health Minister.

How to conduct professional supervision of medical-biochemical activities with patients and at medical practice offices, the Chamber shall more closely determine in a general act prepared with the agreement of the Croatian Medical Chamber and the Health Minister.

XI. SUPERVISION OF THE CHAMBER'S WORK 

Article 50 

Legality of the Chamber's work in performing its public authorities and duties shall be supervised by the Ministry of Health.

In carrying out the supervision referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article, the Ministry of Health may request relevant reports and data to be provided by the Chamber.

The Chamber is obliged to provide reports and data referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article to the Health Minister within 30 days or it shall provide explanation, within the same time frame, about the reasons for which it cannot provide them.

The Chamber is obliged to provide the Health Minister with a yearly report on its work related to its public duties until the first of March for the previous year.

XII. ARBITRATION

Article 51

Medical biochemists – members of the Chamber may mutually agree to entrust the settlement of disputes related to their activities to the arbitration of the Chamber.

The appointment of arbitrators or an arbitration council and other issues related to the arbitration procedure shall be regulated by the Chamber's general act.

Article 52

In the agreement on settling a dispute by arbitration, the parties in dispute shall define the issue which is to be submitted to arbitration.

The arbitration shall decide only on the issue that was submitted to it by the parties in dispute.

Article 53

The arbitration decision on the claim shall have the validity of a final decision or verdict of a regular court for the parties concerned.

The arbitration decision may be contested in front of a court, in accordance with a relevant special law.

XIII. PENAL PROVISIONS

Article 54

A health institution shall be fined the amount of 5,000.00 up to 50,000.00 kuna in case that:

  1. it carries out medical-biochemical activities contrary to the provisions set out in Article 4 of this Law,
  2. its medical-biochemical laboratory does not have a head appointed or its head does not fulfil the conditions referred to in Article 7 of this Law,
  3. in its medical-biochemical laboratory it carries out tests contrary to Article 8 of this Law,
  4. it prevents or obstructs the conduct of a professional supervision or does not provide necessary data and information (Article 42),

For offences referred to in paragraph 1 of this Law, the responsible person of the health institution shall also be fined the amount of 5,000.00 up to 10,000.00 kuna.

For offence in paragraph 1, points 1, 3 and 4, a medical biochemist or another health worker shall also be fined the amount of 5,000.00 up to 10,000.00 kuna.

Article 55

A medical biochemist shall be fined the amount of 5,000.00 up to 10,000.00 kuna in case that:

1. he/she starts carrying out medical-biochemical activities independently as a graduate engineer of medical biochemistry without having previously obtained the authorisation for independent work (licence) and prior to being registered at the Chamber's Register of graduate engineers of medical biochemistry (Article 13),

2. he/she carries out medical-biochemical activities without having the authorisation for independent work renewed (Article 16),

3. a graduate engineer of medical biochemistry does not become a member of the Chamber but carries out activities directly related to health care by performing medical-biochemical activities on the territory of the Republic of Croatia (Article 21, paragraph 1).

Article 56

A doctor of medicine shall be fined the amount of 5,000.00 up to 10,000.00 kuna in case that he/she carries out medical-biochemical activities in a private practice office contrary to the provision set out in Article 4 of this Law.

Article 57

An engineer of laboratory medicine and a laboratory health technician shall be fined the amount of 5,000.00 up to 10,000.00 kuna in case that during his/her work and while on duty in laboratory units or private (general) medical practice offices and with patients, he/she independently carries out medical tests contrary to Article 11 of this Law.

Article 58

A person who provides medical-biochemical services contrary to this Law shall be fined the amount of up to onehundredandfifty daily wages or shall be imprisoned for up to six months.

A person who commits the criminal offence referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article in order to receive a reward or gain income shall be fined the amount of up to onehundredandfifty daily wages or shall be imprisoned for up to one year.

XIV. TRANSITIONAL AND FINAL PROVISIONS

Article 59

By entering into force of this Law, the Croatian Chamber of Medical Biochemists, established on basis of the Health Care Act (official gazette ''Narodne novine'' Nos. 75/93, 11/94, 1/97 – amended text, 111/97, 95/00 and 129/00), shall continue with its work.

Article 60

The Chamber is obliged to bring its Statute into line with the provisions of this Law within three months following the entering into force of this Law.

The Chamber is obliged to bring its other general acts into line with this Law and the Statute within six months following the entering into force of this Law.

Article 61

The Minister of Health shall issue regulations that fall into the scope of his authority within six months following the entering into force of this Law.

Article 62

Proceedings in front of the Chamber's bodies which are on-going on the day of entering into force of this Law shall be continued in accordance with the acts on basis of which the proceedings were initiated.

Article 63

This Law shall enter into force on the eighth day following its publication in the official gazette of the Republic of Croatia ''Narodne novine''.

Cl. No.: 500-01/03-01/04
Zagreb , July 17, 2003

THE CROATIAN PARLIAMENT
President of the Croatian Parliament
ZlatkoTomčić, m.p.