(a) The department shall make periodic inspections of every clinical laboratory, at its discretion. In lieu of or to supplement its own inspection program, the department may use results of inspections conducted by other accrediting agencies. For the purpose of this subsection, the employees or agents of the department shall have the right of entry into the premises of the laboratory during normal hours of operation.

(b) The department shall operate a clinical laboratory evaluation program and shall prescribe standards of performance in the examination of specimens. As part of the clinical laboratory evaluation program, the department may require the clinical laboratory to analyze test samples submitted or authorized by the department and report on the results of such analysis.