Laboratory Professionals Member Community

I also believe there should be more opportunities for growth in the lab, such as an MLS IV or something along those lines. The only higher positions are leads and supervisors, excluding managers and directors. It is hard to get into those positions if someone has held them for a while. Opportunities in research go a long way. A discount on graduate degrees or specialty testing also helps.

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Ryan Tom Supervisor/Lead Med Lab Scientist/MedTechnologist
Middletown NY
9178362840
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Original Message:
Sent: 09-09-2024 01:10
From: Mary Geonette Llenos
Subject: Quality long-term solutions to shortages

Hello,

I'm Mary and I have been working in the lab since 2008. I guess another factor to entice potential students as well as retain lab employees is to increase the hourly rate not just for CLSs/MLSs but also the hourly rates of MLTs and Phlebotomists. I have worked with a fairly new CLS in one of the prestigious hospitals in California and she told me that she's going to enroll in nursing school because the salaries of nurses are way higher even when you work 10+ years whereas with lab personnel once you reach the ceiling rate that's it. In my opinion, a rate increase comparable to that of nurses will entice a lot of students to enroll in the lab program and through there the school can continue to thoroughly educate and give quality training. The lab is fun and it will be more rewarding if the lab employees are paid what they are worth.

The concern for the shortage in MT, CLS, and MLS was long recognized in the mid-1990’s. The National Credentialing Agency offered a way for those of us who were MLT’s to gain the equivalent status of a 4 year tech. I did just that and passed the exam, however because ASCP was not on board with this and the two agencies did not merge until 2009, I had to battle for any sort of recognition. I finally got my bachelors degree but not in Medical Technology. I obtained it in Healthcare Administration. Will I ever gain the opportunity to be a Laboratory Manager? Likely not. CLIA is behind on their ruling of who can or can’t manage in a laboratory.
West allow individuals with a Biology or Chemistry degree that often times have no idea what they are doing. It’s time for CLIA to look at their guidelines for allowing Clinical Laboratory Personnel to advance without a bachelors or masters degree. A degree is not indicative of the level of knowledge and expertise. While many will argue this point, I advocate for those individuals who kinesthetically learn and who not through years of college have and are able to learn those attributes necessary to be a high performing technologist and further members of leadership. Clinical laboratory personnel are highly underpaid considering the value we contribute to the overall diagnosis and treatment of patients.
Denise Litchfield


Original Message:
Sent: 9/9/2024 1:10:00 AM
From: Mary Geonette Llenos
Subject: RE: Quality long-term solutions to shortages

Hello,

I'm Mary and I have been working in the lab since 2008. I guess another factor to entice potential students as well as retain lab employees is to increase the hourly rate not just for CLSs/MLSs but also the hourly rates of MLTs and Phlebotomists. I have worked with a fairly new CLS in one of the prestigious hospitals in California and she told me that she's going to enroll in nursing school because the salaries of nurses are way higher even when you work 10+ years whereas with lab personnel once you reach the ceiling rate that's it. In my opinion, a rate increase comparable to that of nurses will entice a lot of students to enroll in the lab program and through there the school can continue to thoroughly educate and give quality training. The lab is fun and it will be more rewarding if the lab employees are paid what they are worth.

The best and fastest way to attract and retain quality medical technologist is to increase salary benchmarks. ASCP should use their considerable platform to promote/lobby for better pay in our field. Laboratory diagnostic results are as important to physicians as nursing care, and we should be paid equivalently.

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Laura Hauns SM,M(ASCP)
MD
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Original Message:
Sent: 09-10-2024 10:08
From: Denise Litchfield
Subject: Quality long-term solutions to shortages

The concern for the shortage in MT, CLS, and MLS was long recognized in the mid-1990's. The National Credentialing Agency offered a way for those of us who were MLT's to gain the equivalent status of a 4 year tech. I did just that and passed the exam, however because ASCP was not on board with this and the two agencies did not merge until 2009, I had to battle for any sort of recognition. I finally got my bachelors degree but not in Medical Technology. I obtained it in Healthcare Administration. Will I ever gain the opportunity to be a Laboratory Manager? Likely not. CLIA is behind on their ruling of who can or can't manage in a laboratory.
West allow individuals with a Biology or Chemistry degree that often times have no idea what they are doing. It's time for CLIA to look at their guidelines for allowing Clinical Laboratory Personnel to advance without a bachelors or masters degree. A degree is not indicative of the level of knowledge and expertise. While many will argue this point, I advocate for those individuals who kinesthetically learn and who not through years of college have and are able to learn those attributes necessary to be a high performing technologist and further members of leadership. Clinical laboratory personnel are highly underpaid considering the value we contribute to the overall diagnosis and treatment of patients.
Denise Litchfield



Original Message:
Sent: 9/9/2024 1:10:00 AM
From: Mary Geonette Llenos
Subject: RE: Quality long-term solutions to shortages

Hello,

I'm Mary and I have been working in the lab since 2008. I guess another factor to entice potential students as well as retain lab employees is to increase the hourly rate not just for CLSs/MLSs but also the hourly rates of MLTs and Phlebotomists. I have worked with a fairly new CLS in one of the prestigious hospitals in California and she told me that she's going to enroll in nursing school because the salaries of nurses are way higher even when you work 10+ years whereas with lab personnel once you reach the ceiling rate that's it. In my opinion, a rate increase comparable to that of nurses will entice a lot of students to enroll in the lab program and through there the school can continue to thoroughly educate and give quality training. The lab is fun and it will be more rewarding if the lab employees are paid what they are worth.

The best and fastest way to attract and retain quality laboratorians is to increase salary benchmarks. I am hoping that ASCP will use its considerable platform to promote and lobby for increased pay across medical laboratory science roles. The training required for certification, and the services that we provide to physicians on behalf of patient care is equivalent to nursing, so our pay should be equivalent too.


Sent from my iPhone


Original Message:
Sent: 9/10/2024 10:09:00 AM
From: Denise Litchfield
Subject: RE: Quality long-term solutions to shortages

The concern for the shortage in MT, CLS, and MLS was long recognized in the mid-1990’s. The National Credentialing Agency offered a way for those of us who were MLT’s to gain the equivalent status of a 4 year tech. I did just that and passed the exam, however because ASCP was not on board with this and the two agencies did not merge until 2009, I had to battle for any sort of recognition. I finally got my bachelors degree but not in Medical Technology. I obtained it in Healthcare Administration. Will I ever gain the opportunity to be a Laboratory Manager? Likely not. CLIA is behind on their ruling of who can or can’t manage in a laboratory.
West allow individuals with a Biology or Chemistry degree that often times have no idea what they are doing. It’s time for CLIA to look at their guidelines for allowing Clinical Laboratory Personnel to advance without a bachelors or masters degree. A degree is not indicative of the level of knowledge and expertise. While many will argue this point, I advocate for those individuals who kinesthetically learn and who not through years of college have and are able to learn those attributes necessary to be a high performing technologist and further members of leadership. Clinical laboratory personnel are highly underpaid considering the value we contribute to the overall diagnosis and treatment of patients.
Denise Litchfield

Salary seems like the major concern no matter where I go.

------------------------------
Ryan Tom Supervisor/Lead Med Lab Scientist/MedTechnologist
Middletown NY
9178362840
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-11-2024 07:35
From: Laura Hauns
Subject: Quality long-term solutions to shortages

The best and fastest way to attract and retain quality laboratorians is to increase salary benchmarks. I am hoping that ASCP will use its considerable platform to promote and lobby for increased pay across medical laboratory science roles. The training required for certification, and the services that we provide to physicians on behalf of patient care is equivalent to nursing, so our pay should be equivalent too.


Sent from my iPhone



Original Message:
Sent: 9/10/2024 10:09:00 AM
From: Denise Litchfield
Subject: RE: Quality long-term solutions to shortages

The concern for the shortage in MT, CLS, and MLS was long recognized in the mid-1990's. The National Credentialing Agency offered a way for those of us who were MLT's to gain the equivalent status of a 4 year tech. I did just that and passed the exam, however because ASCP was not on board with this and the two agencies did not merge until 2009, I had to battle for any sort of recognition. I finally got my bachelors degree but not in Medical Technology. I obtained it in Healthcare Administration. Will I ever gain the opportunity to be a Laboratory Manager? Likely not. CLIA is behind on their ruling of who can or can't manage in a laboratory.
West allow individuals with a Biology or Chemistry degree that often times have no idea what they are doing. It's time for CLIA to look at their guidelines for allowing Clinical Laboratory Personnel to advance without a bachelors or masters degree. A degree is not indicative of the level of knowledge and expertise. While many will argue this point, I advocate for those individuals who kinesthetically learn and who not through years of college have and are able to learn those attributes necessary to be a high performing technologist and further members of leadership. Clinical laboratory personnel are highly underpaid considering the value we contribute to the overall diagnosis and treatment of patients.
Denise Litchfield



Original Message:
Sent: 9/9/2024 1:10:00 AM
From: Mary Geonette Llenos
Subject: RE: Quality long-term solutions to shortages

Hello,

I'm Mary and I have been working in the lab since 2008. I guess another factor to entice potential students as well as retain lab employees is to increase the hourly rate not just for CLSs/MLSs but also the hourly rates of MLTs and Phlebotomists. I have worked with a fairly new CLS in one of the prestigious hospitals in California and she told me that she's going to enroll in nursing school because the salaries of nurses are way higher even when you work 10+ years whereas with lab personnel once you reach the ceiling rate that's it. In my opinion, a rate increase comparable to that of nurses will entice a lot of students to enroll in the lab program and through there the school can continue to thoroughly educate and give quality training. The lab is fun and it will be more rewarding if the lab employees are paid what they are worth.

Thanks for your continued public advocacy Angela Tomei Robinson and Rodney Rhode!  

Visibility and explanations of the complexity of the work and need/importance of personnel qualification standards is essential!

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Marianne T. Downes Ph.D. MLS (ASCP)CM
Geisinger School of Medical Laboratory Science
Education Program Director
go.geisinger.edu/medlabscience
mtdownes1@geisinger.edu
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