Building a laboratory workforce to meet the future: ASCP Task Force on the Laboratory Professionals Workforce.

OBJECTIVES

To analyze the demand for services from the nation's medical laboratories, which is predicted to dramatically increase as our citizens age and millions receive insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act.

METHODS

A systematic review of relevant publications and databases was conducted to assess the current state of the nation's medical laboratory workforce and to examine the impact of population demographics and health reform on workforce development to address the future demand for laboratory services.

RESULTS

Building a Laboratory Workforce to Meet the Future, a new report from the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), provides a comprehensive strategy to address the future workforce needs of the nation's medical laboratories to meet this demand to provide timely, accurate, and safe patient care and to fully realize the benefits of personalized medicine.

CONCLUSIONS

The report, from the ASCP Task Force on the Laboratory Professionals Workforce, is a comprehensive review of the myriad of factors affecting recruitment and retention of qualified laboratory professionals and provides a set of thoughtful recommendations outlining a multifaceted approach to bolster the pipeline of potential candidates for the profession as well as leadership in health care.