TAG:
Medical technologist
A medical laboratory scientist (MLS) (also referred to as a medical technologist, a clinical scientist, or clinical laboratory technologist) is a healthcare professional who performs chemical, hematological, immunologic, microscopic, and bacteriological diagnostic analyses on body fluids such as blood, urine, sputum, stool, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), peritoneal fluid, pericardial fluid, and synovial fluid, as well as other specimens. Medical laboratory scientists work in clinical laboratories as well as hospitals, physician’s offices, reference labs, biotechnology labs and non-clinical industrial labs.
In the United States, a medical laboratory scientist (MLS), medical technologist (MT) or clinical laboratory scientist (CLS, California only) typically earns a bachelor’s degree in clinical laboratory science, biomedical science, medical technology or in a life / biological science (biology, biochemistry, microbiology, etc.), in which case certification from an accredited training program is also required. Medical technologists who are certified and in good standing by a number of certification bodies, including the National Medical Laboratory Science Council or the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) are entitled to use the credential “MLS” after their names.
Subspecialties also requiring a four-year degree include cytotechnologists, who study cells and cellular anomalies, and histotechnologists, who work on the detection of tissue abnormalities and the treatment for the diseases causing the abnormalities.
In addition, there are also medical laboratory technicians (MLTs) who earn two-year degrees plus certification.
In the United States, the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA ’88) define the level of qualification required to perform tests of various complexity. Clinical laboratory scientists, medical technologists and medical laboratory scientists are the highest level of qualification, and are generally qualified to perform the most complex clinical testing including HLA testing (also known as tissue typing) and blood type reference testing.
Most medical technologists are generalists, skilled in all areas of the clinical laboratory. However some are specialists, qualified by unique undergraduate education or additional training to perform more complex analyses than usual within a specific field. Specialties include clinical biochemistry, hematology, coagulation, microbiology, bacteriology, toxicology, virology, parasitology, mycology, immunology, immunohematology (blood bank), histopathology, histocompatibility, cytopathology, genetics, cytogenetics, electron microscopy, and IVF labs.
Medical technologists with such a specialty may use additional credentials, such as “SBB” (Specialist in Blood Banking) from the American Association of Blood Banks, or “SH” (Specialist in Hematology) from the ASCP.
In the United States, Medical Laboratory Scientists can be certified and employed in infection control. These professionals monitor and report infectious disease findings to help limit iatrogenic and nosocomial infections. They may also educate other healthcare workers about such problems and ways to minimize them.
United Kingdom Soon to Tackle Consolidation of Hospital Labs
CEO SUMMARY: Consolidation and regionalization of hospital laboratory testing are not isolated phenomenons. Beginning in the late 1980s, individual provinces in Canada began to rationalize lab testing services by building core labs and consolidating lab services across multiple hospitals….
Military Labs Creating Global Lab Test Data Pool With LOINC
CEO SUMMARY: It’s a laboratory regionalization project without precedent because of its worldwide scale. Within the Armed Forces, laboratorians are working to seamlessly integrate laboratory test data generated by laboratories within the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Veterans Administratio…
State, Federal Regulators Target Specialty Labs
CEO SUMMARY: Specialty Laboratories, Inc. has earned the dubious honor of being the first-ever publicly-traded laboratory to have its CLIA-88 license revoked by federal regulators, terminating its right to payment for services covered by Medicare and Medicaid. The revocation is slated to …
Shortage of Med Techs Stimulates Innovation
CEO SUMMARY: In Western Tennessee, a seven-hospital rural health system is pulling out all stops to solve the staffing crisis in its laboratory division by implementing programs that address both retention and recruiting. “Bench bonuses,” college loan repayment programs, recruitment b…
FNA Clinic Business Becomes Part of Unilab
CEO SUMMARY: Pathology has a new business model entering the marketplace. The goal of FNA Clinics of America, Inc. is to offer patients speedy access to the FNA procedure and provide referring physicians with a final diagnosis within hours of the FNA procedure. Unilab Corporation recogniz…
2001’s Ten Big Stories Presage Future Direction
CEO SUMMARY: During 2001, few labs found themselves under intense pressure to change or react to dramatic events in the healthcare marketplace. Like 2000, this past year was marked by evolutionary progress, not revolutionary change. However, continuing signs indicate that consumers will p…
Largest Hospital Lab JV Making Steady Progress
CEO SUMMARY: It’s a daunting task to rationalize and integrate lab testing services among 21 hospitals spread out between Eastern Wisconsin and the south side of Chicago. Since the joint venture was announced April 2000, management initiatives have generated lower costs. But the number …
Quest Buys New Jersey Lab, Lab Investors Cash In Stock
THERE’S LOTS OF BUYING and selling taking place among the public laboratory companies. On one side of the spectrum, Quest Diagnostics Incorporated announced the acquisition of Clinical Diagnostic Services, Inc., a private laboratory company based in Englewood, New Jersey. Clinic…
NYC Lab Hand-Entered Reqs After Terrorist Acts
CEO SUMMARY: Crisis management was the watchword at Centralized Laboratory Services, Inc. of New York City following the terrorist attacks on September 11. Damage around the World Trade Center knocked out the communications link between the lab and a data server which transmitted electron…
“Lean” Management Helps Bay Care’s Lab Boost Quality
CEO SUMMARY: All laboratory managers and pathologists face the same challenge: do more testing with less money. This challenge is further complicated by the fact that there are inadequate numbers of trained laboratory professionals available to staff the nation’s laboratories. Now, earl…
CURRENT ISSUE
Volume XXXII, No. 6 – April 21, 2025
Now that a federal judge has vacated the FDA’s LDT rule, The Dark Report analyzes the judgement and notes the various steps the FDA could take in response. Also, lab testing at pharmacies is proving to be less successful than was once anticipated.
See the full table of contentsHow Much Laboratory Business Intelligence Have You Missed?
Lab leaders rely on THE DARK REPORT for actionable intelligence on important developments in the business of laboratory testing. Maximize the money you make-and the money you keep! Best of all, it is released every three weeks!
Sign up for TDR Insider
Join the Dark Intelligence Group FREE and get TDR Insider FREE!
Never miss a single update on the issues that matter to you and your business.