Knowledge and perceptions of quality systems among Vermont laboratorians.
OBJECTIVE
This article reports on a survey of medical laboratorians' knowledge of quality systems in their workplace and their perceptions about the effect of job function, education and training, professional credentials, and experience on the overall quality of testing and results.


METHODS
The Medical Laboratory Workforce Survey was designed and conducted in Vermont in 2005. Surveys were distributed to all laboratorians working in Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments-regulated laboratories throughout Vermont. Results were analyzed for statistical significance using the Fisher's exact test for overall group comparisons.


RESULTS
Laboratorians perceived that they were generally knowledgeable about the quality systems in place in their laboratories (96% considered themselves familiar with quality assurance [OA] measures in their laboratory), but meeting quality objectives and perceptions of factors that impact quality measures in the laboratory were variably influenced by the laboratorians' years of experience, professional credentials, organization type, and job title. Almost half (47%) of laboratorians said they did not have a role in deciding the QA measures, whereas 77% felt they had a significant impact on meeting the QA objectives.


CONCLUSIONS
Not all laboratorians feel that they play a significant role in assuring quality or influencing quality measures used in the laboratory. All laboratorians should be encouraged to take an active approach to influence quality systems in the laboratory to ensure the highest quality health care possible.
Department of Medical Laboratory and Radiation Sciences, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA. steven.blumen@uvm.edu
Steven R
SR
Blumen
Phda Shelly
PS
Naud
Mary Val
MV
Palumbo
Barbara
B
McIntosh
Burton W
BW
Wilcke
D000488:Allied Health Personnel; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000592:standards*; D003625:Data Collection; D006801:Humans; D007755:Laboratories, Hospital; D011361:Professional Competence; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D011786:Quality Control; D014707:Vermont