The Clinical Laboratory Workforce
Improve recruitment and retention
Healthcare Leadership and Administration
Capstone- D520
Task 3- Business Plan
Helga Mae Cordero
August 10, 2024
,A. Summary of the healthcare challenge
During my extensive 30-year tenure in the laboratory, I have had the opportunity to work
across different departments, serving as both a Medical Technologist generalist within the
clinical division and as a histotechnologist specializing in the anatomic pathology
department. Over the years, I have closely observed the concerning trend of declining
recruitment and retention of skilled professionals in this vital realm of patient care. This
decline has raised significant challenges and implications for the laboratory and its capacity
to deliver quality healthcare services.
The primary challenge lies in devising strategies to enhance the recruitment and retention of
talented individuals within the clinical laboratory workforce. This entails tackling issues
related to not only attracting the right candidates to the field, but also implementing
initiatives to ensure that these skilled professionals remain engaged and committed to their
roles.
The clinical laboratory workforce, also known as the medical laboratory workforce, is a vital
component of the healthcare system in the United States. This workforce plays a critical role
in supplying essential information to patients and healthcare providers for the purpose of
preventing, diagnosing, treating, and managing health and disease. Concerns have arisen
regarding the availability of these indispensable personnel due to a decline in the number of
accredited education programs and a reduced influx of students entering these programs.
Additionally, the workforce is facing increased demands, leading to growing vacancy rates in
this field. It has become imperative to enhance diversity within the clinical laboratory
workforce to expand the pool of qualified personnel. The COVID-19 pandemic has further
disrupted the workforce and has the potential to accelerate future shortages in the field of
clinical laboratory medicine (Garcia, et al., 2021).
, Proposed innovation solution
To enhance professional development, job satisfaction and retention, there are several
strategies to consider. First, offering competitive financial incentives, such as bonuses or
performance-based rewards, can motivate employees to excel in their roles. Additionally,
providing schedule flexibility, comprehensive benefits, regular salary increases, tuition
assistance, and sign-on bonuses can greatly contribute to overall job satisfaction (Garcia et
al., 2021).
To foster career progression, it is essential to establish clear pathways for advancement.
Implementing tiered levels within the organization, accompanied by corresponding pay
increases and elevated job titles, allows employees to visualize and work towards their
professional growth (Garcia et al., 2021).
Moreover, it is important to create a supportive environment that encourages professionals
to operate at their highest skill level within their scope of practice. This involves valuing and
recognizing their expertise, as well as providing adequate resources and support for them to
excel in their roles (Garcia et al., 2021).
Also, exploring and investing in on-the-job training opportunities can further enhance
professional development. This could include mentorship programs, skill-building
workshops, and continuous learning initiatives to ensure that employees are equipped with
the necessary tools to succeed in their respective roles (Garcia, et al., 2021)
Finally, to establish collaborative partnerships with nearby schools and educational
institutions to create internship opportunities for students who are keen on pursuing careers
as medical technologists, laboratory assistants, and phlebotomists. Our goal is to provide
these students with comprehensive training and practical experience during their
internships, enabling us to identify and cultivate exceptional talent for potential job
openings within our laboratory. This proactive approach will enable us to build a strong
Improve recruitment and retention
Healthcare Leadership and Administration
Capstone- D520
Task 3- Business Plan
Helga Mae Cordero
August 10, 2024
,A. Summary of the healthcare challenge
During my extensive 30-year tenure in the laboratory, I have had the opportunity to work
across different departments, serving as both a Medical Technologist generalist within the
clinical division and as a histotechnologist specializing in the anatomic pathology
department. Over the years, I have closely observed the concerning trend of declining
recruitment and retention of skilled professionals in this vital realm of patient care. This
decline has raised significant challenges and implications for the laboratory and its capacity
to deliver quality healthcare services.
The primary challenge lies in devising strategies to enhance the recruitment and retention of
talented individuals within the clinical laboratory workforce. This entails tackling issues
related to not only attracting the right candidates to the field, but also implementing
initiatives to ensure that these skilled professionals remain engaged and committed to their
roles.
The clinical laboratory workforce, also known as the medical laboratory workforce, is a vital
component of the healthcare system in the United States. This workforce plays a critical role
in supplying essential information to patients and healthcare providers for the purpose of
preventing, diagnosing, treating, and managing health and disease. Concerns have arisen
regarding the availability of these indispensable personnel due to a decline in the number of
accredited education programs and a reduced influx of students entering these programs.
Additionally, the workforce is facing increased demands, leading to growing vacancy rates in
this field. It has become imperative to enhance diversity within the clinical laboratory
workforce to expand the pool of qualified personnel. The COVID-19 pandemic has further
disrupted the workforce and has the potential to accelerate future shortages in the field of
clinical laboratory medicine (Garcia, et al., 2021).
, Proposed innovation solution
To enhance professional development, job satisfaction and retention, there are several
strategies to consider. First, offering competitive financial incentives, such as bonuses or
performance-based rewards, can motivate employees to excel in their roles. Additionally,
providing schedule flexibility, comprehensive benefits, regular salary increases, tuition
assistance, and sign-on bonuses can greatly contribute to overall job satisfaction (Garcia et
al., 2021).
To foster career progression, it is essential to establish clear pathways for advancement.
Implementing tiered levels within the organization, accompanied by corresponding pay
increases and elevated job titles, allows employees to visualize and work towards their
professional growth (Garcia et al., 2021).
Moreover, it is important to create a supportive environment that encourages professionals
to operate at their highest skill level within their scope of practice. This involves valuing and
recognizing their expertise, as well as providing adequate resources and support for them to
excel in their roles (Garcia et al., 2021).
Also, exploring and investing in on-the-job training opportunities can further enhance
professional development. This could include mentorship programs, skill-building
workshops, and continuous learning initiatives to ensure that employees are equipped with
the necessary tools to succeed in their respective roles (Garcia, et al., 2021)
Finally, to establish collaborative partnerships with nearby schools and educational
institutions to create internship opportunities for students who are keen on pursuing careers
as medical technologists, laboratory assistants, and phlebotomists. Our goal is to provide
these students with comprehensive training and practical experience during their
internships, enabling us to identify and cultivate exceptional talent for potential job
openings within our laboratory. This proactive approach will enable us to build a strong
