ASCLS Today Volume 35, Number 1

Terry Kotrla, MS, MT(ASCP)BB, CLEC Steering Committee Chair; DeAnne Maxwell, CLEC Steering Committee Vice Chair; and Dana Powell Baker, MBA, MS, MLS(ASCP)^CM, CLEC Steering Committee Past Chair

CLEC 2021 attendees will have access to more than 40 educational sessions, including all session recordings for 30 days after the event.

We are elated to serve as chairs for the 2021 Clinical Laboratory Educators Conference (CLEC), which will be held all virtually February 25-27.

The 2021 CLEC Steering Committee worked hard to put together a dynamic program filled with sessions to inform and inspire meeting attendees. This year we asked for volunteers to assist in ranking the 92 submitted session proposals. Over 30 people volunteered! This allowed us to have a more diverse base to fairly evaluate each proposal. And even with all of the additional input, it was still very difficult to choose due to the number of outstanding proposals submitted. We believe there will be something for everyone at this year’s CLEC.

Registration is open through February 24. This annual event is the premier educational conference for faculty, administrators, directors, advisers, and others in clinical laboratory science education. We anticipate the participation of about 500 educators, industry partners, and friends from across the country and around the globe! Whether this is your first time attending CLEC or you are an experienced CLEC attendee, we endeavored to create a program that offers a variety of sessions that will cater to the needs of all attendees.

“Whether this is your first time attending CLEC or you are an experienced CLEC attendee, we endeavored to create a program that offers a variety of sessions that will cater to the needs of all attendees.”

What’s New

Virtual Attendance. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the conference will be held safely and conveniently in a virtual-only format. Participants will have access to all presentations online for 30 days after the conference is over. There is no need to agonize over which session to attend in each time slot—you have access to them all!

New Educator Workshop. Last year the New Educator Workshop (NEW) was a resounding success! The Committee for Educational Programs and Initiatives (CEPI) is again offering this workshop with a variety of topics tailored for both new and experienced educators. Visit www.ascls.org/clec for additional information.

Session Format. We received rave reviews on the conference format last year. We will continue with 60-minute concurrent session blocks and 60-minute speed learning sessions, which include three 20-minute presentations.

What’s NOT New

CLEC is still the premier annual educational event for clinical laboratory science educators. This is the place to be to learn about innovative teaching techniques, tools to enhance instructional skills, resources for managing change in an ever-changing profession, the latest trends and educational strategies, and, of course, networking with fellow educators.

The CLEC 2021 program is full of diverse, thought-provoking sessions designed to inspire educators and to impart positive take-aways that can be applied at your respective academic institutions.

We are excited and look forward to seeing everyone at Virtual CLEC 2021!

Terry Kotrla is Program Director at Austin State Hospital Medical Laboratory Science Program in Cedar Park, Texas.

DeAnne Maxwell is CLS Program Director at Franciscan Health Indianapolis in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Dana Powell Baker is Assistant Professor in the Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences at the University of Kansas Medical Center School of Health Professions in Kansas City, Kansas.

Stephanie Mihane, MLS(ASCP)^CM, ASCLS Region VIII Director

Author Stephanie Mihane advocates for the profession by participating in career fairs.

I have decided to take a slightly different approach to advocacy, which is defined by the Cambridge Dictionary as “public support for an idea, plan, or way of doing something.” I believe being an advocate is an innate characteristic which we all possess. Some choose to act on and develop this characteristic and others do not. To illustrate this point, I will draw on my experiences with advocacy which started way before my association with ASMT or ASCLS.

The first memory I have of practicing advocacy was when I became a member of Camp Fire Girls as a Bluebird in probably third grade. I joined a group of like-minded girls, learning life skills such as compassion, support for a cause (candy sales for camp), camaraderie, and a set of ideals to guide us through life. Church youth groups, Boy Scouts, organized sports, and clubs serve the same purpose.

I moved on to advocating for 4-H, head, heart, hands, and health—another group advocating for teaching life skills, such as sewing, cooking, entrepreneurship, animal husbandry, and leadership. I ran for and became a member of the Linn County 4-H Council when I was in high school, advocating for the organization and its importance to youth.

Next came ASMT (American Society for Medical Technology) as I entered my Medical Technology Program. At that time, I had a certification as a certified lab assistant (CLA), then MLT (medical laboratory technician), realizing my love of the field that lead me to the University of Iowa.

My instructor was an active and avid advocate for medical technology and a member of ASMT. I became the Iowa ASMT Student Forum representative, and upon attending my first Annual Meeting in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, became the National ASMT Student Forum vice chair. I was active and advocating for the field at the state level as publicity chair for our state meeting. Again, my advocacy developed as I learned more technically and in leadership skills.

After getting married and having a daughter, the advocacy skill development continued. Room mom for five years, tutor for ESL children in my daughter’s classes, and chaperone for field trips. Enter my role as a Sunday school teacher for 10 years and youth group sponsor, as well as stage mom for dance classes. Each volunteer opportunity helped me develop the advocacy skills which I use today to support ASCLS.

The last 10 years I have been promoting the profession through my place of work as a participant in Eighth Grade Career Fair events, speaking for the past four years at my daughter’s old high school science club, and speaking and judging at the Colorado State Health Occupations Student Association (HOSA) events for ASCLS-CO.

As an education advocate, I served on the Colorado Association for Clinical Medical Laboratory Education (CACMLE) for 15 years, stepping down the year before the association dissolved.

I advocate not only for the profession, but other health profession members of my union, UFCW Local 7, as a union steward. I represent the face of the laboratory to the physician assistants, pharmacists, nurses, mental health professionals, and the general public.

My last 15 years has afforded me the greatest opportunity for advocacy as a point of care coordinator. This position affords me the most opportunities to advocate and educate by providing resources, training, and support to non-laboratory trained professionals in providing the most accurate, quality care.

Advocacy to me is an innate characteristic which I have been blessed to have, and I have been provided many opportunities to hone my craft, starting from a young age until now and will continue into my retirement next year.

ASCLS has been very important in this journey, from being elected to the National Student Forum vice chair in 1979, to being a member of the first ASCLS Leadership Academy in 2008, serving on and chairing national committees and the ASCLS-CO Board of Directors as president several times, becoming an Alpha Mu Tau Fraternity member in 2013, supporting state and regional annual meetings as vendor liaison, general chair, and social chair, and now as a Region VIII director. I continue to advocate for all our members and for the continued success of our profession and our organization.

Awaken the advocate in you and build those skills; they will make you a better person, professional, and provide you success in your life’s journey!

Stephanie Mihane is Point of Care Coordinator at Kaiser Permanente in Aurora, Colorado.

Stephanie K. Mabry MS, MLS(ASCP)^CMSC^CM, ASCLS PAC Board of Trustees Chair

The ASCLS region with the highest donations receives the PAC-tastic Trophy (top). Individuals who donate $40 or more, receive the annual PAC Pin (above).

Many laboratorians see the need for effective advocacy for our profession and the patients we serve, and yet many of us, for various reasons, also feel hesitation about writing to our elected officials, visiting their offices, or participating in organized advocacy events such as the Laboratory Legislative Symposium. Nevertheless, that hesitation does not excuse us from our professional duty in advocating for high standards of care and utmost quality in laboratory medicine. Fortunately, there is an easy, effective, and “behind-the-scenes” way every single ASCLS member can play a role in the advocacy efforts of our profession—contribute to the ASCLS PAC!

What is the PAC?

The PAC, or Political Action Committee, is a voluntary nonprofit organization created to provide financial support for the election campaigns of lawmakers who have been sensitive to the needs of the clinical laboratory profession. It is also a way to gain access and attention for our legislative issues to ensure the laboratory profession is in the minds of Congress. ASCLS is the only laboratory organization with a PAC, and it relies on voluntary donations from members to carry out these important functions.

What types of legislative issues does PAC money address?

Our current legislative requests to Congress are to:

• Provide financial support for laboratories performing COVID-19 testing through an Emergency Laboratory Surge Capacity Fund and through Title III of the Defense Production Act.
• Enact and fund the Allied Health Personnel Shortage Act (H.R. 6302) to establish scholarships and loan repayment to alleviate shortages of clinical laboratory personnel and other allied health professionals.
• Provide funding to educational programs, including laboratory preceptorships, to expand the number of students that programs can accept in the fall.

By financially supporting candidates who support and back these issues, or who hold key positions within the pertinent congressional committees necessary to make these things happen, the ASCLS PAC plays a key role in moving this legislative agenda forward.

To whom has the PAC given donations?

A few examples of individuals to whom recent ASCLS PAC campaign contributions were made are:

• Brendan Boyle (D-PA), House Committee on Ways and Means
• Paul Tonko (D-NY), House Committee on Energy and Commerce
• James McGovern (D-MA), Chairman of House Committee on Rules
• Sylvia Garcia (D-TX), House Committee on Financial Services

It is important to note that laboratory issues are nonpartisan, and the ASCLS PAC makes contributions to both democrats and republicans who have the ability to influence legislation in our favor. Typically, contributions are made to legislators who hold leadership positions in key committees through which our legislative issues are addressed, or who have a personal tie and emotional investiture in the healthcare industry.

Why should I donate?

At current member donation levels to the PAC, ASCLS PAC would be able to make approximately 8-10 campaign contributions a year. However, ASCLS PAC desires to make 25-30 contributions each year to make significant headway in pushing our legislative agenda. To make that happen, we need your help and financial contribution to the PAC.

Furthermore, as laboratory professionals, we are bound by our professional duty to “actively seek to change those laws and regulations that do not meet the high standards of care and practice.” As an ASCLS member, you “pledge to uphold my duty to Patients, the Profession and Society by” [among other things] “changing conditions where necessary to advance the best interests of patients.” Current financial reimbursement of laboratory testing and severe workforce shortages are NOT in the best interest of patients. While we cannot all travel to Washington, D.C., and knock on doors ourselves, especially in light of current conditions, we CAN all resolve to donate to the PAC, and put our money where our mouth, and our professional responsibility, is.

What amount should I donate?

As an individual, you can donate anywhere from $20 to $2,000. If every ASCLS member donated the $20 minimum, we would reach our goal of 25-30 campaign contributions in a year. However, ASCLS PAC also has a recognition structure for dedicated donors who go above and beyond.

For a $40 donation, donors will receive the annual PAC Pin as a thank you gift. The annual PAC pin comes in a year-specific color. For those who donate $300 total in one membership year, the thank you gift is a special gold-colored PAC Pin. And the highest recognition, for those who donate $300 total for three consecutive years, is the “Platinum Pin,” an eye-catching silver-toned pin with three embedded red, white, and blue glass jewels.

Additionally, the ASCLS region with the highest total donations will be recognized at the House of Delegates with the traveling “PAC-tastic Trophy,” which currently resides in Region V. Along with the dazzling trophy, the winning region secures enjoyable bragging rights until the trophy comes back up for grabs at the next Laboratory Legislative Symposium or Joint Annual Meeting!

How do I donate?

ASCLS PAC has an easy-to-use Square donation form.

Donations can also be made through the “DONATE” link in the upper right corner of the ASCLS home page.

Stephanie Mabry is a Medical Laboratory Scientist at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan.

(AND WHY YOU SHOULD BE ONE, TOO)

Marianne T. Downes, PhD, MLS(ASCP)^CM, ASCLS-Pennsylvania President

I am no one special. I did not spend my entire life planning to work in a hospital laboratory. I did not even know the field existed until someone informed me of the appropriate education and credentials needed to successfully enter this field. However, during my MLT and MLS educational experiences, it became quite clear to me how deeply impactful our work is on the lives of individuals, on the reputations and bottom line of our employers, and our role in public health.

Still, I was not seeking any type of management opportunity or responsibility. I simply wanted a career where I had a high degree of job security that would allow me to provide for my family. I further wanted a job that I could be proud of and would allow me to feel like an important part of society, but I had no desire to “rock the boat” or be recognized in any way. I just wanted to get the work done and get it done right. There are quite a few people working in clinical laboratories who have similar goals and who may not feel empowered to labvocate.

“If you don’t speak up, someone else will speak for you, and it may not be someone with your best interest in mind.”

In my experience, labvocacy snuck up and appeared in surprising ways. For me, it started with teaching family and friends about laboratory testing, results, and interpretation, as well as the importance of maintaining specimen integrity to the accuracy of testing results. The most surprising labvocacy moment came when I appeared before a district magistrate over a speeding violation in Pennsylvania.

While dealing with my own traffic citation, I had the opportunity to challenge and change an interpretation of law by educating both the magistrate and the state police officer who had issued my speeding citation about specimen collection, specimen preservation, and the validity of blood alcohol concentration (BAC) test results completed on properly collected and stored specimens. They had been influenced by the voice of one savvy defense attorney who was not an expert in biomedical diagnostics. Due to the lack of the laboratorian’s voice, dozens of valid BAC results had been disregarded and charges dismissed prior to my chance encounter. All I needed was my own educational background and certification to qualify my voice as a labvocate. At that time, I had less than one year of work experience, yet I was able to make a positive impact.

How many times are decisions made that impact the way in which laboratory testing is performed, billed, or handled? Are these decisions being made by people who understand medical laboratory diagnostics? Who are the decision makers listening to? When there is no counter argument, decisions are influenced by the voices that are heard. Because of this, I decided that I needed to educate elected lawmakers about concerns revolving around the laboratory and patient safety.

The current pandemic has created ample opportunities to labvocate. As an example, in the face of COVID-19 testing backlogs, some lawmakers proposed not paying for testing that took more than 24 hours to be resulted. The proposed solution is not useful, but if lawmakers are being told that testing can be completed in 15 minutes and be accurate, do they have enough information to understand why test results may not have been available for a week or more after collection? These lawmakers are reacting to the voices they hear and the information that is presented to them. We need to ensure that they hear the laboratory’s voice so that they can make informed decisions.

Whose voice are you going to allow to influence the future of the medical diagnostic laboratory? There are 100 senators in the U.S. Senate and 435 voting members of the U.S. House of Representatives. For the 116th Congress (January 3, 2019, to January 3, 2021) 96 percent of the members held college degrees; however, few of those members held degrees in science and fewer still in medicine or a related field. Therefore, the majority of those with the power to write and vote on national legislation, which affects how you perform your work and the personnel requirements of all of those who can perform clinical laboratory testing, do not have the background or expertise to understand the complexity or impact of our work on quality patient care.

Within each state, there are lawmakers and agencies which further dictate/manage clinical laboratory diagnostics and the personnel who can perform that testing. The laws and guidelines for this are as diverse as each individual state; however, in each case, those voting on the laws are reliant on us, members of the profession, to inform them of our concerns and recommendations to assure quality and safe patient care. Who will influence these decisions of lawmakers? Lobbyists for patient advocacy groups? Hospital CEOs? Medical insurance companies? Large corporate diagnostic labs? Medical worker unions? Do those groups’ interests align with yours? Sometimes they do, but sometimes they do not, and it is important that their voices are not the only ones heard.

If you don’t speak up, someone else will speak for you, and it may not be someone with your best interest in mind.

Marianne T. Downes is Associate Professor of Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics in the West Virginia University School of Medicine Professional Programs Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Laboratory Medicine in Morgantown, West Virginia.