Role of Clinical Laboratory Services and Medical Laboratory Scientists in Healthcare

Emerging and re-emerging diseases, pandemics, and bioterrorism agents with global impact showcase the crucial importance of identifying, tracking, and monitoring public health threats.

FREMONT, CA: In today's complex healthcare industry, medical laboratory professionals provide clinical information and services that contribute to the effective delivery of care. They are essential partners in providing patient-centred care and improving health outcomes and public health overall. Clinical laboratory services are one of the least invasive and least expensive sources of objective information used in clinical decision-making. Many aspects of patient care, including but not limited to inpatient length of stay, patient safety, resource utilisation, innovation in care, customer satisfaction, and ultimately patient outcome, are influenced by clinical laboratory services. Emerging and re-emerging diseases, pandemics, and bioterrorism agents have demonstrated the critical importance of identifying, tracking and monitoring public health threats. The need for clinical laboratory services and qualified laboratory professionals is highlighted by the public health response and the need for ongoing surveillance.

Medical laboratory professionals generate objective clinical data using cutting-edge technology to help guide clinical decision-making. This information has a big influence on patient diagnosis. Screening and diagnostic tests are critical components of protocols used to prevent, diagnose, and manage specific diseases and conditions. Algorithmic testing models, developed with input from other members of the healthcare team, are used to guide the diagnostic process to obtain the right information at the right time for a given patient.

Furthermore, advances in clinical laboratory testing allow for faster results delivery, including options available at the patient's bedside or in ambulatory settings. These patient-centred models aid in the rapid identification of disease, the assessment of disease severity, the development of a therapeutic plan, and the monitoring of disease progression. Medical laboratory professionals consult with and collaborate with other healthcare professionals to ensure informed patient care decision-making. 1 Medical laboratory professionals at all levels of practice, including the DCLS (Doctor of Clinical Laboratory Science), reduce medical errors and improve patient outcomes by serving on diagnosis (diagnostic) management teams, quality improvement committees, and directly participating in clinical laboratory testing-related patient care activities.

Clinical laboratory services are one of the most important diagnostic services in the healthcare industry. Medical laboratory professionals are stewards of patient safety and key members of the healthcare team in promoting patient safety and quality culture defined as safe, effective, patient-centred, timely, efficient, and equitable practice. The primary focus is on providing clinical laboratory services that improve the diagnostic process in medicine as well as the health outcomes for the patients served. Clinical laboratory services provide the information required to make sound clinical decisions that affect patient outcomes and healthcare costs. Improved patient outcomes will eventually result in lower medical treatment costs, shorter inpatient stays, and fewer readmissions. Reduced time to establish a correct diagnosis and implement the most appropriate care for a patient will result in lower care costs.