title: Improving patient safety and healthcare quality in the 21st century--competencies required of future medical laboratory science practitioners.
abstract: Healthcare quality has yet to meet the aims of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) with respect to safety, effectiveness, patient-centeredness, efficiency, timeliness and equity. No professional curricula adequately prepare future healthcare practitioners-including medical laboratory science professionals-with all competencies necessary to deliver quality healthcare. Practicing evidence-based medicine, focusing on quality improvement, using information technology, delivering patient-centered care and working as part of interdisciplinary teams are identified by the IOM as the five core competencies that every healthcare practitioner needs to effectively provide healthcare. Medical laboratory science educators need to incorporate patient safety concepts into the curricula and include assignments to develop the IOM competencies in order to adequately prepare future practitioners to effectively practice medical laboratory science in the healthcare system of the 21st century.
authors.affiliation: St. Luke's Magic Valley Medical Center, Twin Falls, ID, USA. susanm@slhs.org
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.affiliation: Salisbury University, Medical Laboratory Science Program, Salisbury, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Catherine N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Otto
authors.affiliation: Bellarmine University, Medical Laboratory Science Department, Louisville KY, USA.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Golemboski
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D008490:Medical Informatics; D017056:Medical Laboratory Personnel; D061214:Patient Safety; D018802:Patient-Centered Care; D011787:Quality of Health Care