Sep 14, 2011 | Laboratory Hiring & Human Resources, Laboratory News, Laboratory Pathology
In Silicon Valley, biotech and molecular companies “raid” hospital laboratories to hire away MTs and CLSs
Competition for already hard-to-find medical technologists (MT) and clinical laboratory scientists (CLS) is heating up as biomedical and molecular development companies vie with hospitals and medical laboratories for these highly-prized workers. Growth in demand for MTs and CLSs by biotech companies means that clinical laboratories will face stiff competition when recruiting and hiring for these positions.
This competition for hiring MTs and CLSs was recently the topic of a story in the San Francisco Business Times (SFBT). Molecular development companies in the Bay Area want to hire qualified clinical laboratory professionals. The demand pressure from this emerging sector is driving up wages and further stressing the capacity of underfunded job-training programs, according to the article. (more…)
Aug 31, 2011 | Laboratory Hiring & Human Resources, Laboratory News, Laboratory Pathology
In Connecticut and California, there are two medical technologists who have each put in 50 years on the job in their respective hospital laboratories
On opposite coasts of the United States, two medical technologists (MT) were each recognized by local newspapers for more than 50 years of service in clinical laboratories in their respective communities! As members of what is often called the “Greatest Generation”, these two long-serving med techs have much to teach the three younger generations now working in the nation’s medical laboratories.
For the last 51 years, Sandra Allard has worked in the laboratory at Waterbury Hospital, in Waterbury, Connecticut. The 69-year-old typically works in the blood bank, but pulls one night a week in chemistry, according to an article published by the Republican-American, a newspaper in Waterbury. Jeffrey Pinco, M.D., the Medical Director of the hospital laboratory, described Allard as an employee who cares about the hospital’s patients and brings old-fashioned values to her job. (more…)
Jul 20, 2011 | Laboratory Management and Operations, Laboratory News, Laboratory Pathology
Pathologists and medical lab managers regularly challenged to provide high-quality cost-effective services with limited resources.
DATELINE: EDMONTON, ALBERTA, CANADA—Over the past decade and a half, this economically-prosperous province has re-aligned its healthcare regional bodies more than once in an effort to control costs while supporting clinical services that meet the expectations of its patients. In some cases, these realignments have subjected Alberta’s clinical laboratories to deep changes in their reporting structure and operational make-up.
Your Dark Daily editor was in Edmonton last week and had the opportunity to visit the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at the University of Alberta Hospital (UAH). The laboratory facility encompasses four different floors of one wing of the over 800 bed facility. It is the location of one of the two Provincial Laboratories for Public Health in Alberta and includes UAH’s Division of Medical Microbiology.
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Apr 25, 2011 | Laboratory News, Laboratory Pathology, News From Dark Daily
American Society of Clinical Pathology study cites better pay and lack of skills as main barriers to recruiting MTs, CLSs, and MLTs
Staffing shortages of medical technologists (MT) continue to be a significant problem for clinical laboratories across America. Moreover, the vacancy rates of qualified clinical laboratory scientists required to properly staff medical laboratories are increasing. These findings were released recently by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP).
At the management level, it was reported that recruiters are finding it particularly hard to fill supervisory positions in Histology Laboratories and Blood Banks. Further, experts predict that Chemistry, Immunology and Histology labs will suffer most over the next five years as Baby Boomers retire in ever-increasing numbers.
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Mar 9, 2011 | Laboratory News, Laboratory Pathology
Two site visits showcased smooth-running medical laboratories with great staff
DATELINE: CAIRO, EGYPT—on Monday, your Dark Daily editor was privileged to visit two clinical laboratories here in Cairo. Each site visit provided ample proof that, despite differences in the Egyptian healthcare system, there are plenty of similarities in how each clinical pathology department is equipped, organized, and operated, compared to clinical laboratories in other countries.
First stop on the Dark Daily medical laboratory tour was Ain Shams Specialized Hospital in Cairo. This teaching hospital is affiliated with Ain Shams University and has more than 800 beds. It is primarily a surgical hospital. Its laboratory is organized to serve the needs of surgeons. There is also an emergency room and ICU service, which means that Ain Shams Specialized Hospital does admit, and treat, a certain number of inpatients with a variety of diseases and health conditions.
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