PAMET-USA, Inc. is proud to join forces with a diverse group of laboratory and healthcare association leaders working to identify and implement strategies to strengthen the laboratory workforce.
The medical and public health laboratory workforce that underpins the U.S. healthcare system is currently experiencing a personnel shortage. A significant number of laboratory professionals—experts at performing patient laboratory testing—have left the workforce due to retirement, others because of the burnout from the COVID-19 pandemic. On top of this, many accredited training programs have closed. As a result, the number of qualified laboratory professionals has rapidly declined, and this has the potential to disrupt the delivery of high-quality patient care.
To address this trend, a coalition of more than 20 national and regional laboratory, pathology, and other healthcare associations has formed to work toward building a robust, more diverse medical laboratory workforce.
The newly established Medical and Public Health Laboratory Workforce Coalition will work to draw attention to laboratory testing occupations and encourage individuals to consider careers in laboratory medicine, according to Bianca Frogner, PhD, Director of the University of Washington Center for Health Workforce Studies (UW CHWS). “Laboratory professionals serve critical roles in our nation’s health systems as highlighted during this pandemic. These can be excellent career opportunities, but we need to ensure these opportunities are known and accessible for all individuals, and that we support career progression to ensure diversity across the skill spectrum,” Dr. Frogner says.
As the Coalition embarks on this new task, we welcome those interested in joining the effort to address laboratory personnel shortages. Learn more about the Coalition at www.MPHLcoalition.org
