Volume 92 - Special Edition	Download

The Concept of the Clinical Doctorate in Clinical Laboratory Science: Role, Responsibilities and Education

Role

The Clinical Doctorate in Clinical Laboratory Science is intended as the terminal practice degree for the Clinical Laboratory Science profession. This new degree will provide an opportunity for advanced practice in multiple venues including clinical institutions, reference laboratories, physician practices, industry, public health agencies, government facilities, research organizations, and academic institutions. Clinical Laboratory Science professionals holding the Clinical Doctorate will provide a critical interface between practice, research, and health care policy. They will assure the effective and appropriate utilization of laboratory tests and information by eliminating unnecessary tests and ordering tests that should have been ordered but were not. This will result in decreased costs, earlier diagnosis, and improved patient outcomes.

Responsibilities

Individuals holding the Clinical Doctorate in Clinical Laboratory Science will function in many different arenas of practice. These may include but are not limited to such areas as Patient Care Management, Education, Research, and Health Care Policy Development and Services Delivery.

In the practice of Patient Care Management, they will assure cost effective, medically indicated and quality laboratory services by developing/implementing critical paths/laboratory test algorithms, participating in interdisciplinary rounds, managing and ordering diagnostic and therapeutic studies, entering notes into patient records, leading laboratory utilization reviews. They may also provide consultative services through independent practice.

In the practice of Education, they will effectively disseminate laboratory related information as a faculty member in academe, a counselor to patients and families, and a consultant to other health care professionals. They will teach the public and health care professionals about over the counter and point of care laboratory tests and educate other health care professionals about new analytes and tests resulting from the development of new and emerging technologies.

In the practice of Research Applications, they will perform clinical research and outcomes studies applying research findings to clinical practice (to include applied and translational forms).

In practice related to Health Care Policy, they will participate in decision-making teams and provide consultation and input in areas such as services reimbursement, professional advocacy, ethics and human subjects oversight, expert witness testimony.

In practice related to Health Care Services Delivery and Access, the individual will be an integral part of and participate in laboratory resources management (assuring access to laboratory testing) laboratory services administration, and laboratory outcomes analysis in multiple practice venues such as direct patient care, industry, public health, government, and clinical and academic administration.

Education

Since individuals holding a Clinical Doctoral Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science will be providing consultation encompassing all areas of clinical laboratory information and testing venues, it is critical that program graduates be broadly educated in all laboratory disciplines. Consequently, individuals pursuing the Clinical Doctorate will need to hold a baccalaureate degree with certification credentials as a generalist with either NCA or ASCP. NAACLS will establish standards (which incorporate minimum competencies developed by the profession) and implement a process for accrediting Clinical Doctorate programs of study. If an academic institution wishes to offer both a PhD and a Clinical Doctorate, NAACLS will accredit only the Clinical Doctorate component of the program.

Graduates will need to demonstrate:

• advanced knowledge in scientific areas that impact on patient care including, but not limited to: Biochemistry and Genetics, Pharmacokinetics, and Pathophysiology.
  
  
• medical knowledge necessary to provide and coordinate patient care as impacted upon by laboratory testing. Integral components may include development and application of clinical decision making, development and application of critical paths/test algorithms, utilization review, etc. Acquisition of such knowledge will require participation in clinical internship experiences to include clinical rounding.
  
  
• interpersonal and communication skills necessary to function in direct patient care with the patient and family members and with other health care practitioners (physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, etc.) as an independent provider of health care.
  
  
• creation of a capstone experience, applied research, or translational research as required by the degree. Integral components will include research design, statistics, grant writing, protection of human subjects, and research ethics.
  
  
• knowledge in development, interpretation, and application of Health Care Policy and legislation to include reimbursement policies, medical liability exposure, licensure, ethics, tort, patient privacy protection, etc.
  
  
• knowledge in Health Care Services Delivery and Access through skills developed in resources management, outcomes analysis, analysis of costs relative to benefits, etc.

Top of the News
			A Clinical Doctorate for the Laboratory
			Process and Outcomes of the NAACLS Graduate Task Force
			The Concept of the Clinical Doctorate in Clinical Laboratory Science: Role, Responsibilities and Education
Features
			A Pathologist's Perspective The Doctorate in Clinical Laboratory Sciences: The Time Has Come by Larry H. Bernstein, MD
			A Pathologist's Perspective The Clinical Doctorate: A Boon to Pathologists by Linda B. Piller, MD, MPH
			Evaluation of Participant Reactions to Stakeholder Meeting
Other News
			Background to Development of the Clinical Doctorate Initiative
			FAQs
			Next Steps in Development of Standards
			Planning for the March 1, 2006 Stakeholder Meeting
			Process Employed at the March 1, 2006 Stakeholder Meeting

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