The Joint Commission has issues a statement that rude, hostile and obnoxious behavior in the workplace is not simply unpleasant and inappropriate, but can be considered a patient safety or quality of care issue as well. Anyone who has been in healthcare for a while is aware of a physician, nurse or laboratorian who is known for flying off the ...

Our congratulations to the following ASCLS-PA winners: Edward C. Dolbey (Member of the Year)                Ruth Negley Estolle ...

Law and medicine careers may be losing self-respect, according to this article in the Dallas News. While these professions are still solidly supported by pay, security, schooling and responsibility, there is a sense that their status is waning.  Excerpt: This decline, Mr. Florida argued, is rooted in a broader shift in definitions of ...

As laboratorians, we often bewail the disunity in the profession. Not only do competing membership organizations tout their relative superiority at the expense of others, but there are also competing certifications. Many Human Resource departments think (incorrectly) that only ASCP certifies laboratorians. They sometimes require, totally without ...

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 ...

Medicare is a huge payer in healthcare, so it is not surprising the government is on a constant quest to reduce Medicare spending. CMS, the agency that administers Medicare, is inherently suspicious and suspects fraud and abuse behind every bush. The fact is providers feel a need to ''work around'' complex requirements or cope with ...

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 ...

This is a touchy subject because it holds so much emotion for many people. Indulge me for a moment, read this post through completely before reacting. Many studies and doctoral theses have confirmed females on the average get paid less than men for equivalent work. That does not mean that all women get paid less than men or that in ...