Volume 38 Number 4 | August 2024

Thao Vu, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Today Volunteer Contributor

Thao Vu

Advocating for and elevating the medical laboratory profession needs the involvement of all stakeholders.

Medical Laboratory Educators:

Promote awareness of the importance of professional ethics and the role of medical laboratory science in patient care. Incorporate leadership and communication skills into the curriculum to prepare students for professional advocacy. Collaborate with local laboratory leaders to provide salary negotiation strategies to future graduates. This will equip new professionals with the knowledge and confidence to advocate for fair compensation. Encourage memberships and active representation within national organizations. Organize other workshops and seminars featuring industry leaders to inspire and to guide medical laboratory students.

New Graduates:

Utilize resources such as Canva’s free online resume builder to create standout resumes from professional templates. Attend laboratory conferences to network and stay informed about the latest advancements and opportunities. Join mentorship programs, such as the ASCLS Mentor Match, to gain insights and advice from experienced professionals. Be proactive in seeking out leadership roles and volunteering for committees within professional organizations. Apply for multiple laboratory jobs and negotiate for higher compensation.

“Each of us plays a role in contributing to the recognition and progress of the medical laboratory profession.”

Medical Laboratory Professionals:

Lead by example in promoting ethical practices and high standards in laboratory work. Take initiative in proposing and implementing quality improvement projects in your laboratory. Support fellow medical laboratory professionals and advocate for positive changes within your workplace. Share your knowledge and experience by mentoring interns and new graduates.

Engage in continuing education, including additional certifications and advanced courses, to enhance your skill set. Stay informed about policy changes. Become involved in professional organizations to advocate for the profession on a larger scale. Engage with policymakers and legislators to advocate for those policies that support the profession. Utilize social media and other platforms to raise awareness about the importance of the medical laboratory profession and its impact on healthcare.

Employers:

A thriving workforce requires work-life balance and a supportive laboratory environment. Do not attempt to extract maximum output and overexert employees at the expense of their physical and mental well-being. Avoid saving a penny to lose a dollar. Medical laboratory professionals are valuable assets and deserve to be treated as such.

Ensure staff retention by providing viable schedules and fostering a culture of appreciation. To prevent burnout, it is important that laboratory personnel feel valued and heard. When a medical laboratory professional asks for reasonable time off, it is important to honor that request. If employees are consistently working overtime or reaching PTO accrual and rollover caps, it is a significant sign that your laboratory team is overworked.

Conduct annual surveys to gather feedback and take actions accordingly. Recognize and reward outstanding performance to boost morale and motivation. To enhance career development and job satisfaction, develop career paths and offer specialization training. Encourage key operator or super user roles for specific instruments or duties. Build a feasible compensation plan to appropriately acknowledge those additional job functions.

Medical laboratory professionals have the capacity to learn. Provide regular training sessions to keep staff updated with best practices. When a mistake occurs, focus on the action and not the individual. Offer laboratory personnel guidance and develop process improvements to prevent the same or similar problems. Collaboration amongst laboratories and experienced professionals can offer insights on practical solutions to laboratory issues.

Policy Makers:

Recognize the vital role of medical laboratory professionals in our healthcare system. Support licensure of medical laboratory personnel to require minimum educational and competency standards and other policies that protect the medical laboratory profession. Advocate for fair wages and benefits for laboratory staff. Allocate sufficient funding to ensure financial sustainability of laboratories.

Patients and the General Public:

Understand and appreciate the importance of medical laboratory professionals in diagnostics. Engage with public awareness campaigns to learn more about the field of medical laboratory science. Acknowledge the contributions of laboratory professionals not only during health crises but also during routine medical care. Support initiatives and policies that enhance the working conditions and recognition of these professionals. Advocate for better healthcare funding and policies that support laboratory services.

Overall:

Each of us plays a role in contributing to the recognition and progress of the medical laboratory profession.

Through ASCLS professional advocacy, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a landmark ruling that opens the pathway for Doctorate in Clinical Laboratory Sciences (DCLS) graduates to become high complexity laboratory directors (HCLDs). We need to continue to pave the way to a brighter future for our profession. Bravely take on the advocacy role, like trailblazers such as Dr. Brandy Gunsolus, who was the first DCLS graduate. It is time that we realize the potential of our fellow laboratorians and continue to open pathways for the profession to move forward.

Due to the Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA), there is a threat of Medicare reimbursements cut for clinical laboratory services. On November 15, 2023, Congress passed a one-year delay. However, we need your voice to ensure a permanent solution. Support the Saving Access to Laboratory Services Act (SALSA) and go to stoplabcuts.org to take action.

Through representation, education, and collaboration, we can advance the perception and interests of medical laboratory scientists and technicians.

References

Thao Vu is Assistant Professor, at the College of Health Professions Medical Laboratory Sciences Program at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, Arkansas.