Transforming and Supporting Patient Care - Health Professions ...

118Chapter 5 – Scope of Practice of Medical Laboratory Technologyimplications of the proposed scope enhancements for provincial teachingprograms and their capacity to respond to an enhanced scope of practice forMLTs if required. Representatives of Ontario laboratories, including theOntario Association of Medical Laboratories, the Provincial Public HealthLaboratories and a number of directors of hospital-based laboratoryservices, were consulted, to seek their perspective on proposed changesand how they would affect the provision of laboratory services and meetpatient needs. As well, pathologists and other laboratory medicinespecialists were consulted on how the changes would impact their role andinteractions with MLTs in the provision of diagnostic services to the public.Finally, a roundtable meeting brought together the proponents as well asrepresentatives of professions with an interest in the proposed changes.HPRAC has considered all these points of view in its analysis andrecommendations.Generally, the feedback from the meetings reflected significant concern withthe proposals. With few exceptions, stakeholders indicated limited or nosupport for the proposed changes to the scope of practice for thisprofession.The key points emerging from HPRAC’s consultations on the proposedchanges to MLTs’ scope of practice are summarized under three maincategories: System Needs, Scope of Practice and Competency.System NeedsParticipants in consultation meetings argued that there is lack of evidenceor rationale to support the changes that have been proposed. Whilestakeholders acknowledged that MLTs are significant players in the deliveryof health care services and play a key role in the collection, analysis of andreporting on specimens, they indicated that the proposed changes appear tobe inconsistent with current system needs and critical issues affecting MLTs.Various participants stressed that the shortage of MLTs has been one of themost significant issues affecting this profession for some time. Concernabout the shortage of MLTs in all practice settings was a common theme inthe consultations. Participants were not convinced that the proposedchanges would make the MLT profession more attractive or result inimproved recruitment and retention. They suggested that rather thanattempting to expand MLTs’ scope of practice to areas outside thelaboratory and in direct patient care, the focus of any initiatives should beon strategies that would have a positive impact on MLTs and laboratorysystem capacity. Some suggested that a specific strategy should bedeveloped to elevate the scope of practice of MLTs and to promote andsupport specialization of laboratory professionals. HPRAC heard manytimes about the pending shortages of “master technologists” in manyspecialty areas of laboratory science.Concerns were raised by several participants that the proposed changeswould exacerbate the present and growing human resources crisis amongMLTs since they would be diverted to other functions at the expense of coreMLT activities.HPRAC Critical Links January 2009