ADVANCE Outlook: Lab Professionals : Professionalism, CLS in the News

COLA Cares Week 2011

Matthew T. Patton — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 03:26:00 GMT

At COLA, we’re all part of the same work community. Together we help promote patient safety by promoting lab excellence. Considering that lab testing impacts more than 70 percent of diagnostic decisions, the COLA community’s efforts impact a lot of people....(read more)

Editorial: Strike Against Point of Care?

Matthew T. Patton — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 02:29:00 GMT

A Pennsylvania Department of Health report revealed that a patient died at a hospital after discrepant blood sugar results allegedly went unrecognized and, worse yet, unreported to doctors. This post-transplant patient allegedly died as a result of low...(read more)

Identifying and Implementing Non-Labor Cost Savings in Your Lab

Matthew T. Patton — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 02:03:00 GMT

Don't miss this ASCLS Annual Meeting session, sponsored by ADVANCE Newsmagazines : Identifying and Implementing Non-Labor Cost Savings in Your Lab Presented by J.R. Constance, MHA, MT(ASCP), Rodric Consulting, LLC; and Deb Rodahl, MLS(ASCP)CM, HealthEast...(read more)

CLS Technologist Program Scores Top in Nation

Matthew T. Patton — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 00:29:00 GMT

For the fifth year running, the Clinical Laboratory Science (CLS) Technologist program at Mercy St. Vincent Hospital in Toledo, Ohio, had the highest certification test scores in the nation, this year nearly doubling the national average. With a possible...(read more)

Job Scope

Kerri Penno — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 17:29:00 GMT

Are you a healthcare provider? A Career Builder article posted on CNN and written by Rachel Zupek lists the "top jobs for night owls." Zupek theorizes some of us just aren't cut out for the 9-5 world and are simply more productive if working a night job;...(read more)

Congrats to Award Winners

Amanda Koehler — Tue, 06 May 2008 14:22:00 GMT

Our congratulations to the following ASCLS-PA winners:

Edward C. Dolbey (Member of the Year)
Ruth Negley

Estolle Gross
Janet Devine

Key to the Future
Randi Bright
Leah Campbell

Keener Memorial Service Award
Mary Beth Miele

Corporate Recognition Award
Roche Diangostics

Membership Award
Sandra E. Johnson
Faye S. Sheinman
Debra Turner
Kristine Wise-Rayn

Pi Alpha (ASCLS-PA President's Honor Roll):
Patsy Bering
Lanie Fessler
Sandy Neiman
Maria Bohan
Jennifer Goodwin
Cathy Palicki
Jean Buchenhorst
Regina Halbinger
Linda Semler
Leah Campbell
Marlene Kluger
Pete Vulfson
Frank Carey
Ann Marie Lynn
Ruth Werts
Janet Devine
Eileen Molecavage
Diane Zelinka

Omicron Sigma (ASCLS President's Honor Roll):
National:
Scott Aikey
William Hunt
Michelle LaChance

Regional
Mary Gourley
Sharon Strauss

State
Randi Bright
Katie Franz
Judy Hoover
Mary Beth Miele
Ruth Negley
Barbara Snyderman
Sandy Toloczko
Charles Wilson

What Will the Future Bring?

Kerri Penno — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 16:14:00 GMT

As I was browsing some of the other ADVANCE blogs, I was struck by the commonality of themes between healthcare professions. It seems the different disciplines face many of the same issues (e.g., staffing problems, budget crunches, boosting productivity and morale), and many of the same fears (e.g., making an error that harms a patient, the uncertain direction of the profession).

Take the health information technology field, for example. This breed of "MTs" transcribes dictated and recorded notes from physicians. As new advances produce equipment that essentially performs the same duty, MTs wonder if they will someday be replaced by technology.

The laboratory field is not immune from these thoughts. With innovations like the "Swish and Spit" test-a solution that when gargled, has the potential to diagnose cancer-and a growing number of do-it-yourself at home diagnostics, is anyone starting to wonder about the fate of the clinical laboratory scientist?

If in the future, all blood is universal, cervical cancer is wiped out, and cancer diagnoses are made over a capful of mouthwash in a morning routine, where does that leave the bloodbankers, cytologists and pathologists?

Do I think the role of the laboratorian will be usurped by machines, vaccines and direct-access testing? No. But I do think roles will change, or at least shift slightly. Whether that means more focus on researching new tests, monitoring and personalizing treatments, or educating patients and physicians about test values is yet to be seen. What do you think the future will bring?

Write Your Reps

Kerri Penno — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 15:31:00 GMT

San Diego has been selected as the site of the demonstration program for competitive bidding for clinical laboratory services.

ASCLS recently sent out a call to action, stating the program "will destroy the hospital outreach and small laboratories in San Diego and wherever the second demonstration takes place."

ASCLS and its partners in the Clinical Laboratory Coalition have asked Congress to repeal this project. Two bills have been introduced, one in the House (HR 3453) and one in the Senate (S.2099).

ASCLS is asking members of the lab community to contact elected representatives in the House and Senate and insist they support this legislation.

Senator Ken Salazar (D-CO), Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS), Senator Schumer (D-NY), and Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) are co-sponsoring S.2099.

Reps. Nydia Velasquez (D-NY), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Bart Gordon (D-TN), Jim Matheson (D-UT), Dave Camp (R-MI) and Michael Conaway (R-TX) are co-sponsoring HR 3453. Feel free to e-mail a thank you note to these folks.

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