THE WORLD IS CHANGING RAPIDLY, SO ARE HEALTH CARE CAREERS

Home About Us Our Sponsors Careers Education Employers Labor Market Info Important Links Downloads Contact Us		Medical Laboratoy Technician  (Clinical Laboratory Services) DID YOU KNOW?   (click for more) DID YOU KNOW?   (click to hide) Medical Laboratoy Technician - Did-You-Know: 1. One standard blood donation can be used to help at least 3 different patients. 2. Someone in America needs blood every 2 seconds. How is technology impacting any of the following areas in the Medical Laboratory Techician field? 1. Education: Increase in available online education as laboratory professionals with an associate’s degree and certification (MLT/CLT) look to progress to their bachelor’s degree and certification (MT/CLS). Online master’s degrees in clinical laboratory science are also increasing in availability. A critical skill for clinical laboratorians is identifying formed elements (crystals, human or bacterial cells) under the microscope. Computer generated images are readily available online and with textbooks for the student working on mastering theses skills. Certification exams have been computerized for several years, but some education facilities are using computers to administer their exams as well. Continuing education is required by states with licensure and by the lab professionals’ certifying agencies ASCP [American Society for Clinical Pathology] and NCA [National Credentialing Agency for Laboratory Personnel]. Online courses are becoming a commonly used source of continuing education. The relevance of clinical laboratory course content is in a constant state of review as older testing methods are replaced with newer methods and new biomedical markers related to disease diagnosis are discovered. 2. Research: More automation is on the rise in the clinical laboratory. Blood banks are moving to more automated testing procedures. Some clinical chemistry departments use conveyor belt systems that connect several instruments so that one patient sample can be efficiently tested for various biomedical markers (analytes) and then stored with minimal human intervention. The use of molecular methods is increasing in the lab. The impact includes how testing is or will be done in microbiology, diagnosing cancers including certain leukemias, and determining the best drug treatments for individuals based on genetic make-up. 3. Direct patient care: Automated platelet function tests are replacing an older method of evaluating a patient’s ability to stop bleeding. Improvement in patient specimen identification by tracking samples via comparison of a bar code on the patient’s wrist bank to the barcode of the test ordered. “Vein finders” allows the phlebotomist to non-invasively find and track veins in order to collect blood from patients with difficult veins. 4. Administrative issues: HIPPA and electronic patient records. Patient records must be kept confidential, but the information on them must be shared among health care providers. Computer security is very important in all healthcare fields. Billing and reimbursement from insurance companies. Lab test orders are typically entered into the computer. Several individual tests are “batched” together when a certain body system is being evaluated. For example, a hepatic panel is an orderable test, but it includes over 6 individual biomedical markers that must be tested for individually. Even though each of the biomedical markers is an individual test, they can only be billed as one test (i.e. hepatic panel) in order for the hospital to receive reimbursement. In summary, if tests are ordered in the computer incorrectly, insurance companies will not pay for them. Also, governmental health care (Medicare and Medicaid) require a diagnosis from the physician for each test ordered, or else the lab will not get reimbursed. Job vacancies. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services suggest that by 2012, almost 138,000 laboratorians will be needed, while less than 50,000 will be trained. “Pod Laboratories”- According to the American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP), pod laboratories exploit a loophole in Medicare`s in-office ancillary services and assignment of benefit regulations, enabling the referring provider to capture the payments intended for the performance of pathology services. These laboratories often charge rates far below fair market value, which creates an economic incentive for clinicians to profit from the performance of laboratory services. Besides causing economic harm to other laboratories, these entities can adversely affect the quality of testing. 5. Any other area you deem important: Demand for clinical laboratorians: Figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics suggest we need about 9,000 new clinical lab scientists a year and only about 5,000 are graduating, causing an anticipated 43,000 shortfall by 2008. It`s an absolute shortage that has exacerbated over time, however. More recent figures from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services suggest that by 2012, almost 138,000 laboratorians will be needed, while less than 50,000 will be trained. DESCRIPTION OF WORK: Clinical laboratory testing plays a crucial role in the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of disease. Clinical laboratory personnel examine and analyze body fluids, tissues, and cells. They look for bacteria, parasites, and other microorganisms; analyze the chemical content of fluids; match blood for transfusions; and test for drug levels in the blood to show how a patient is responding to treatment. These technologists also prepare specimens for examination, count cells, and look for abnormal cells. They use automated equipment and instruments capable of performing a number of tests simultaneously, as well as microscopes, cell counters, and other sophisticated laboratory equipment. Then, they analyze the results and relay them to physicians. With increasing automation and the use of computer technology, the work of technologists and technicians has become less hands-on and more analytical. The complexity of tests performed, the level of judgment needed, and the amount of responsibility workers assume depend largely on the amount of education and experience they have. Medical laboratory technicians (also referred to as clinical laboratory technicians) perform less complex tests and laboratory procedures than technologists. Technicians may prepare specimens and operate automated analyzers, for example, or they may perform manual tests following detailed instructions. They may work in several areas of the clinical laboratory or specialize in just one. They usually work under the supervision of medical laboratory technologists or laboratory managers. Mean annual salary for this position is $28,380. WHERE EMPLOYED: About half work in hospitals with others in medical laboratories or offices and clinics of physicians. A small proportion work in educational services; other ambulatory healthcare services, including blood and organ banks; outpatient care centers; and scientific research and development service. PERSONAL QUALIFICATIONS: Clinical laboratory personnel need good analytical judgment and problem-solving abilities, computer skills and the ability to work under pressure. Close attention to detail can be crucial for quality patient care. Manual dexterity and normal color vision are highly desirable. ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS: Medical laboratory technicians generally have either an associate`s degree from a community or junior college or a certificate from a hospital, vocational or technical school, or from one of the U.S. Armed Forces. A few technicians learn their skills on the job. Some states require laboratory personnel to be licensed or registered. Information on licensure is available from state departments of health or boards of occupational licensing. Certification is a voluntary process by which a nongovernmental organization, such as a professional society or certifying agency, grants recognition to an individual whose professional competence meets prescribed standards. Widely accepted by employers in the health industry, certification is a prerequisite for most jobs and often is necessary for advancement. Agencies certifying medical and clinical laboratory technologists and technicians include the Board of Registry of the American Society for Clinical Pathology, the American Medical Technologists, the National Credentialing Agency for Laboratory Personnel, and the Board of Registry of the American Association of Bioanalysts. These agencies have different requirements for certification and different organizational sponsors. EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS: Associate degree programs for medical technicians are conducted in junior or community colleges, hospitals, vocational or technical schools, or through part of the U. S. Armed Forces. Courses for medical technicians include laboratory testing procedures, basic laboratory mathematics, computer technology, communication skills, interpersonal relationships, and social responsibilities. Technical instruction includes procedures in hematology, microbiology, immunohematology, immunology, clinical chemistry, and urinalysis. The Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act (CLIA) requires technologists. who perform certain highly complex tests to have at least an associate`s degree. A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required for entry into programs of this type. LAST UPDATED: 9/9/2007 - Update Current status - Active
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