To help alleviate the ongoing laboratory workforce shortage, executives from various organizations across the nation will convene in Fort Worth, Texas on May 2, 2023, to collaborate on ways to address the dilemma, according to a release from COLA.
Laboratories are struggling to fill vacant positions recent studies have shown. Professionals in the laboratory are overworked. In the aftermath of a three-year pandemic that required laboratory staff to labor valiantly day and night, some have left the profession altogether.
According to current forecasts, the next generation will not produce enough medical laboratory scientists to replace the predicted retirements or meet the increased need for laboratory testing in the future, COLA noted. The severity of this shared problem affects private and public health laboratories across the nation.
Responding to the Lab Workforce Shortage
In response to this crisis, the Workforce Action Alliance Summit is an appeal for action.
“COLA wanted to do something to help laboratories and the profession,” says Nancy Stratton, CEO of COLA. “When the topic was discussed during our Laboratory Enrichment Forum last year, we asked how we could help. It was suggested that we bring people together to identify some key priorities for shared action.”
This led to the formation of a Planning Committee to organize a one-day Summit.
“We realized that working together starts now and we are profoundly grateful for the collaboration of other laboratory leaders in making this Summit a reality,” says Stratton.
The Workforce Action Alliance Summit
COLA and the Planning Committee members will develop and publish a written summary of the Summit Proceedings. The Summit is just the beginning of the shared action.
“There are so many great initiatives already underway. The questions for all of us at the Summit will be what is missing, what can be scaled and how can we unify and focus our efforts on solutions that will make the biggest difference,” says Stratton.
The Workforce Action Alliance Summit will take place the day before COLA’s Annual Laboratory Enrichment Forum (LEF), where a summary of the Summit will be shared during a general session at the LEF.
