The California Department of Health has issued a new All Facilities Letter regarding the use of the QuantiFERON-TB Gold blood test for identifying latent Mycobacterium Tuberculosis infection in healthcare workers. The letter outlines the procedure for healthcare facilities to request program flexibility to use the blood test instead of the traditional tuberculin skin test (TST) for screening healthcare workers. Facilities must submit a letter to the Licensing and Certification district office, along with a policy specifying that QuantiFERON-TB Gold will be used for screening and complying with current standards of practice for LTBI screening. The policy must also include a statement that employees will be informed in writing of the limitations of using QuantiFERON-TB Gold. Healthcare facilities should ensure their policies and procedures align with the new requirements to avoid potential consequences for non-compliance.

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