Volume 84 - Spring/Summer 2003	Download

CEO's Corner by Olive M. Kimball, PhD, EdD NAACLS Chief Executive Officer

As announced in September 2001, the NAACLS Board of Directors authorized a Task Force to study possible changes to entry level for the CLS/MT. Since then there has been much discussion about the issues, and the Task Force has worked diligently to research them. Because there has also been considerable misunderstanding of both the intent and the process, I'd like to share some background about the Task Force and bring you up to date.

At a pre-Board planning meeting in September 2001, the NAACLS Board reviewed the NAACLS strategic plan for possible revisions. The Board does such an informal review on an annual basis. Discussions lead to speculations of the future of the professional programs accredited by NAACLS. Based upon these discussions, and upon the outcomes of the NAACLS Futures Conference the year before, it was decided that the Board should study possible changes of entry level, especially for the CLS/MT. At the meeting the next day the Board charged a Task Force with looking into the various issues related to possible changes for CLS/MT. A chair was appointed to lead the initiative.

NAACLS has the responsibility for determining educational standards for the professional programs it represents, and it is charged to look far into the future to do that. It must seriously consider possible changes in the skills needed by the workforce and facilitate effective utilization of laboratory services. This 'futures' orientation requires NAACLS to take a proactive stance.

Further, there are major changes occurring in healthcare as well as in the laboratory. Numerous national studies have appeared that call for reordering the healthcare workforce and for developing bold and innovative changes to provide services in the future. For example, the American Hospital Association report, In Our Hands; How Hospital Leaders Can Build a Thriving Workforce, as well as the Institute of Medicine report, Health Professions Education; A Bridge to Quality, and the report from the National Academy Press, Crossing the Quality Chasm; A New Health System for the 21st Century. For these reasons it is timely to initiate such a study. The Task Force has been appointed to aid NAACLS with its responsibilities.

The Task Force met several times during that first year, and presentations were made to interested organizations about the questions that were to be studied. Because it was understood that this was a controversial professional issue, it was always made as clear as possible that this was a feasibility study and no changes related to entry level could possibly be made without lengthy discussion and broad input.

In September 2002 the Task Force submitted a report to the Board indicating its progress. It identified specific questions that it was addressing and how it was researching them. The Board agreed by consensus to continue its support of the Task Force's efforts.

During the following year the Task Force generated written documents which addressed many of the issues and questions raised. No conclusions were reached or implied. Presentations were made at several professional meetings including the ASCP-BOR, the ASCLS Board meeting, CLEC and the CLMA Board meeting. In all cases it was emphasized that this was a feasibility study, and no action was planned. Comments received were forwarded to the Task Force for consideration and they were numerous during that year. Assurances were continually provided that no action was planned other than to study the questions posed.

In April 2003 the Task Force submitted another report to the NAACLS Board along with copies of the study documents. Included in the documents was a possible task list for the CLS/MT practitioner of the future. Again the Board thanked the Task Force, suggested further issues that should be raised, and approved dissemination of the documents already developed. It was agreed that broad input should continue to be invited.

At the beginning of the initiative, it was sincerely hoped by all involved that the Task Force's activities and outcomes would stimulate informed dialogue. To further facilitate that dialogue, the Task Force outcomes will be presented at the CLMA/ASCP meeting in June and to an open forum of the ASCLS House of Delegates in July. The NAACLS Board is pleased that there is active discussion taking place within professional organizations about the future practitioner level, for the future of the profession is clearly at stake.

National Academy Press. Crossing the Quality Chasm; A New Health System for the 21st Century. March 2001.

American Hospital Association (Commission of Workforce for Hospitals and Health Systems). In Our Hands; How Hospital Leaders Can Build a Thriving Workforce. April 2002.

National Academy Press. Health Professions Education: A Bridge to Quality. April 2003.

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