Volume 66 - Spring 1997	Download

Executive Director's corner by Olive M. Kimball, EdD, MT(ASCP) Executive Director

Results of the NAACLS Customer Satisfaction Survey have been forwarded to our office. The final report was made available at the May Strategic Planning Meeting of the Board of Directors. We will publish summary information from that report in upcoming issues of the NAACLS News.

Early in the winter, the Board of Directors contracted with the Center for Governmental Studies at Northern Illinois University to conduct a survey. An external organization was selected in order to ensure that all responses could be kept confidential. Only compilations of the data and statistical reports are seen by anyone other than the center staff.

A stratified random sample of program directors, medical advisors/medical directors, and administrators was selected across program levels (e. g. , CLS/MT, CLT/MLT, HT/HTL, phlebotomy) to receive a 25-item questionnaire. A total of 525 surveys were mailed with an incredible response rate of 75 percent.

There was a proportionate number of program directors, medical advisors/medical directors, and administrators (deans and department heads) within the sample. Each was asked to personally complete the survey so as to assess differing attitudes. In a great many cases the administrator or medical advisor/medical director asked the program director to take responsibility for completing the form. This increased the proportion of program directors sampled, but it was apparent that most attitudes were similar regardless of who completed the survey.

A few very interesting observations may be made from preliminary data. For example, there was substantial support demonstrated for program accreditation and approval. Over 90 percent of respondents indicated that accreditation/approval was important to program quality. The same percentage indicated it was important to the program's reputation. Only 70 percent mentioned requirements for certification.

For the issues of program quality and reputation, the responses were similar across the three categories. However, medical advisors/medical directors were considerably less apt to mention certification requirements as a reason than were administrators or program directors. Support for accreditation "in general" was indicated by 72 percent of all respondents.

The usefulness of various steps in the accreditation/approval process were judged. Steps such as the Notice of Renewal, preparation of the Self-Study, and the site visit itself were considered highly useful by more than 90 percent of respondents. When asked who benefited from NAACLS' services (staff support, publications, consultations, etc. ), administrators thought administrators did, program directors thought administrators and program directors did, and medical advisors/medical directors thought that medical advisors/medical directors did. They all thought that students benefited a great deal.

Overall, respondents were well satisfied with the objectivity and confidentiality exhibited in NAACLS' services.

There were many comments and suggestions written on the returned surveys, including valuable constructive criticism. Many burning issues that are impacting programs such as declining funding, scarce clinical affiliates, the changing mix of personnel utilization in health care were mentioned. But it was rewarding to read of the apparent support for NAACLS and its services coming at a time when the higher education climate for health professions is so uncertain.

Respondents gave careful thought to their comments, and the Board of Directors addressed these as well as the data at the May meeting. We'll keep you informed and, while waiting for the final information to be published, you may contact us if you have specific questions.

Top of the News
			Act now! Attend a NAACLS workshop!
			An explanation of Essential 7 for CLT/MLT programs by K. Nisi Zell, EdS, MT(ASCP)SH Vice Chairman, CLSPRC
			New faces at NAACLS
			Pathologists' assistant programs awarded NAACLS accreditation by Jerry Phipps and Steve Suvalsky
			University administrators applaud NAACLS accreditation by Kay Doyle, PhD, MT(ASCP)
			Update on the approval process for clinical assistant programs by Cynthia Wells, EdD, CLS(NCA), MT(ASCP) President, Board of Directors
			WANTED: CLS-MT/CLT-MLT pathologist (CLSPRC)
			What's new?
Features
			Dear Dr. NAACLS Complying with 1995 Essentials
			Executive Director's corner by Olive M. Kimball, EdD, MT(ASCP) Executive Director
			Persevering misconceptions by Olive M. Kimball, EdD, MT(ASCP) Executive Director
			President's report by Cynthia Wells, EdD, CLS(NCA), MT(ASCP) President, Board of Directors
			Summer/Fall site visit schedule

	Select an Issue   Vol 109 - Fall 2011 Vol 108 - Summer 2011 Vol 107 - Spring 2011 Vol 106 - Volume 106 - Fall NAACLS News Vol 105 - Summer 2010 Vol 104 - Spring 2010 NAACLS News Vol 103 - Fall 2009 NAACLS News Vol 102 - Summer 2009 Vol 101 - Spring 2009 Vol 100 - Winter 2008 Vol 99 - Summer 2008 Vol 98 - Spring 2008 Vol 97 - Winter 2007 Vol 96 - Summer 2007 Vol 95 - Spring 2007 Vol 94 - Winter 2006 Vol 93 - Spring/Summer 2006 Vol 92 - Special Edition Vol 91 - Winter 2005 Vol 90 - Fall 2005 Vol 89 - Spring/Summer 2005 Vol 87 - Fall 2004 Vol 86 - Spring/Summer 2004 Vol 85 - Fall 2003 Vol 84 - Spring/Summer 2003 Vol 83 - Winter 2003 Vol 82 - Fall 2002 Vol 81 - Spring / Summer 2002 Vol 80 - Winter 2002 Vol 79 - Fall 2001 Vol 78 - Spring / Summer 2001 Vol 77 - Winter 2001 Vol 76 - Fall 2000 Vol 75 - Spring / Summer 2000 Vol 74 - Winter 2000 Vol 73 - Fall 1999 Vol 72 - Spring / Summer 1999 Vol 71 - Winter 1999 Vol 70 - Fall 1998 Vol 69 - Spring / Summer 1998 Vol 68 - Winter 1998 Vol 67 - Fall 1997 Vol 66 - Spring 1997 Vol 65 - Winter 1996 Vol 64 - Summer 1996 Vol 63 - Spring 1996 Vol 62 - Winter 1996 Vol 61 - Summer 1995 Vol 60 - Spring 1995 Vol 59 - Fall 1994 Vol 58 - Summer 1994 Vol 57 - Spring 1994 Vol 56 - Fall 1993 Vol 55 - Summer 1993 Vol 54 - Spring 1993 Vol 53 - Fall 1992 Vol 52 - Summer 1992 Vol 51 - Spring 1992 Vol 50 - Fall 1991 Vol 49 - Summer 1991 Vol 48 - Spring 1991 Vol 47 - Fall 1990 Vol 46 - Summer 1990 Vol 45 - Spring 1990 Vol 44 - Fall 1989 Vol 43 - Summer 1989 Vol 42 - Winter 1989 Vol 41 - Fall 1988 Vol 40 - April 1988 Vol 39 - December 1987 Vol 38 - September 1987 Vol 37 - Spring 1987 Vol 36 - Winter 1987 Vol 35 - October 1986 Vol 34 - November 1985 Vol 33 - November 1984 Vol 32 - July 1984 Vol 31 - November 1983 Vol 30 - November 1982 Vol 29 - November 1981 Vol 28 - December 1980 Vol 27 - August 1980 Vol 26 - September 1979 Vol 25 - August 1979 Vol 24 - June 1979 Vol 23 - February 1979 Vol 22 - October 1978 Vol 21 - July 1978 Vol 20 - April 1978 Vol 19 - October 1977 Vol 18 - July 1977 Vol 17 - April 1977 Vol 16 - February 1977 Vol 15 - November 1976 Vol 14 - September 1976 Vol 13 - June 1976 Vol 12 - December 1975 Vol 11 - October 1975 Vol 10 - August 1975 Vol 9 - July 1975 Vol 8 - June 1975 Vol 7 - April 1975 Vol 6 - February 1975 Vol 5 - December 1974 Vol 4 - November 1974 Vol 3 - September 1974 Vol 2 - August 1974 Vol 1 - June 1974