Inside the Lab

Organizational wellness is getting more attention , due in no small part to the increased stress brought on by a global pandemic.  

But why do we only seem to think about wellness when we feel unwell? What does wellness look like for pathologists and laboratory professionals? And what responsibility do institutions and individuals have in making wellness a priority? 

On this episode of Inside the Lab, our hosts Dr. Lotte Mulder and Ms. Kelly Swails are joined by Dr. Alae Kawam, MD, Pathology Resident and soon-to-be Surgical Pathology Fellow at Northwell University, Dr. Katrina Krogh, MD, Surgical Pathologist specializing in Gastrointestinal and Liver Pathology in private practice in Los Angeles, and Dr. Farres Obeidin, MD, Assistant Professor and Clinical Attending at Northwestern University and Bone and Soft Tissue Pathologist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, to discuss organizational wellness. 

Our panelists describe the physical, spiritual, social, and emotional aspects of wellness, exploring how the term means different things to different people. They explain what initiatives institutions are using to combat rising rates of physician burnout and why they’ve fallen short, reflecting on how wellness policy informs institutional culture and vice versa. Listen in for insight on how wellness impacts the quality of work we do in the lab and learn how to advocate for your individual wellness at work.  

Topics Covered 

· Defining ‘wellness’ in general and what it means to the laboratory workforce
· The physical, spiritual, social, and emotional aspects of wellness
· How wellness policy informs institutional culture and vice versa
· Sources of burnout in the laboratory and what institutions might do to help mitigate the stress that cause them 
· The initiatives institutions are using to combat rising rates of physician burnout (and why they’ve fallen short)
· Why it’s crucial for leaders to support laboratory and other medical professionals when we reach our limits
· How our wellness impacts the quality of work we do in the lab
· How pathologists and lab professionals can advocate for our wellness in the workplace when it’s so individualized
· How diversity, equity, and inclusion influences wellness at work
· Our panelists’ insight on the benefit of a four-day workweek and other alternate scheduling models  

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Connect with Dr. Kawam
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Connect with Dr. Krogh
Dr. Krogh on Twitter
Dr. Krogh on LinkedIn

Connect with Dr. Obeidin
Dr. Obeidin on Twitter 

Connect with Dr. Mulder & Ms. Swails
Dr. Mulder on Twitter
Ms. Swails on Twitter  

Resources
Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski, PhD, and Amelia Nagoski, DMA
Inside the Lab in the ASCP Store 

What would ASCP members like to see happen in the next five to ten years that would most impact our lives and work as laboratory professionals?  

And what can ASCP do as an organization to elevate laboratory medicine as a profession and address the greatest challenges we face?  

On this episode of Inside the Lab, Dr. Dan Milner sits down with attendees of the ASCP 2021 Annual Meeting to explore what ASCP can do to advocate for higher wages and increase the visibility of medical lab professionals.  

They share what they love about working in the medical laboratory, describing the vital role we play in delivering patient care.  

Listen in for ASCP member insight on burnout among lab professionals during the pandemic and learn what we can do to stay healthy, positive and empowered to pursue a balanced life. 

Topics Covered  

- What ASCP members would like to see happen in the next 5 to 10 years that would most impact the lives and work of laboratory professionals
- What ASCP can do to foster interprofessional relationships and communication among laboratory professionals 
- ASCP’s advocacy programs and initiatives to address issues of workforce vacancies and wages 
- How ASCP might increase the visibility of medical laboratory professionals 
- What ASCP members love about working in the medical laboratory
- How more than 70% of medical decisions are based on data generated by lab professionals
- How the pandemic exacerbated challenges around burnout and personal wellness among laboratory professionals 
- What lab professionals can do to stay healthy, positive and in control of a balanced life 
- What more ASCP could do to combat disinformation regarding COVID-19 

 Connect with ASCP  

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Connect with Dr. Milner  

Dr. Milner on Twitter  

Resources

ASCP’s Wage and Vacancy Survey
ASCP Career and Pathology Ambassadors
Society of Black Pathologists
ASCP Advocacy Center
ASCP ePolicy News
ASCP Foundation
ASCP COVID-19 Resources
Inside the Lab in the ASCP Store  

Wellness is multidimensional. In addition to our physical health, wellness encompasses our mental, social, emotional and even financial wellbeing. It’s no surprise that there’s a connection between the diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in an organization and the wellbeing of the laboratory professionals who work or train there. Programs that address the unique needs of every employee are integral in creating an equitable, inclusive workplace.  

On this episode of Inside the Lab, our hosts Dr. Lotte Mulder and Ms. Kelly Swails are joined by Mrs. Dana Baker, MBA, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, Assistant Professor in the Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences at the University of Kansas Medical Center and advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion in healthcare and medical education, Dr. Melissa Upton, MD, FASCP, Emeritus Professor of Pathology at the University of Washington and Chair of the ASCP Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, and Dr. Darryl Elzie, PsyD, MHA, MT(ASCP), CQA(ASQ), Laboratory Quality Coordinator at Sentara Healthcare and Founding Member of the Sentara Norfolk General Hospital Executive DEI Council, to discuss the relationship between wellness and diversity, equity and inclusion efforts within an organization. 

Our panelists explain why wellness is an essential part of any program intended to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion and how lack of access to wellness services impacts marginalized communities. They explore how the definition of wellness varies by culture and community and share best practices for developing wellness programs that address these issues. Listen in for insight on leveraging data to sell DEI to the C-suite and learn what training programs and workplaces can do to encourage and support wellness and equity in the lab. 

Topics Covered 
·  Why wellness is an essential part of any program intended to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion
·  How healthcare disparities and lack of access to wellness services impact marginalized communities
·  Best practices for developing wellness programs in our workplaces and communities
·  How to create safe spaces dedicated to addressing issues of personal wellness, diversity, equity, and inclusion in laboratory medicine
·  How we might leverage data to sell diversity, equity, and inclusion to the C-suite
·  What professional societies like ASCP can do to help members build healthy working lives 

Connect with ASCP
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Connect with Mrs. Baker
Mrs. Baker on Twitter  

Connect with Dr. Upton
Dr. Upton on Twitter

Connect with Dr. Elzie
Dr. Elzie on LinkedIn

Connect with Dr. Mulder & Ms. Swails
Dr. Mulder on Twitter
Ms. Swails on Twitter 

Resources
ASCP 2021 Annual Meeting
ASCP Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Opportunities
Inside the Lab in the ASCP Store 

Every human has bias, as do the organizations we build. Despite commitments to diversity and inclusion, institutional bias lives on in every industry.  How does institutional bias show up in the field of pathology and laboratory medicine? And what can we do to affect change? 

On this episode of Inside the Lab, Dr. Dan Milner and Ms. Kelly Swails are joined by Ms. Tywauna Wilson, MBA, MLS(ASCP)CM, System Technical Director of Chemistry for CompuNet Clinical Laboratories and Founder of Trendy Elite Coaching and Consulting, Dr. Von Samedi, MD, PhD, Associate Professor in the Department of Pathology at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, and Dr. Mohamed Abdelmonem, DHA, MBA-HCM, MS, CLS, MLS(ASCP)SBB, Blood Bank and Transfusion Service Supervisor at Stanford Health Care, to discuss the book Erasing Institutional Bias: How to Create Systemic Change for Organizational Inclusion by Tiffany Jana and Ashley Diaz Mejias.  

Our panelists share what they realized about recruiting, hiring, and advancement bias in their organizations (and the role they play in sustaining it) from reading the book. They explore how occupational bias presents in the field of pathology and laboratory medicine and what we can do to advocate for ourselves. Listen in for insight on recruiting allies without being perceived as a troublemaker and find out how you can take steps to erase institutional bias—whether or not you’re in a leadership role.  

Topics Covered
· An overview of the themes in Erasing Institutional Bias around how bias gets embedded in workplace cultures and what we can do to eliminate it 
· What our panelists realized about recruiting, hiring and advancement bias in their organizations from reading the book (and the role they play in sustaining it)
· How occupational bias shows up in the field of pathology and laboratory medicine
· How laboratory professionals and pathologists can work toward erasing institutional bias in our organizations
· Conducting a holistic review of residency applications and adopting a blind hiring process
· How realistic it is for us to succeed in erasing institutional bias without being in a leadership role 

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Connect with Ms. Wilson
Ms. Wilson on Twitter
Ms. Wilson on LinkedIn

Connect with Dr. Samedi
Dr. Samedi on Twitter
Dr. Samedi on LinkedIn

Connect with Dr. Abdelmonem
Dr. Abdelmonem on ResearchGate 

Connect with Dr. Milner & Ms. Swails  
Dr. Milner on Twitter
Ms. Swails on Twitter 

Resources
Erasing Institutional Bias: How to Create Systemic Change for Organizational Inclusion
Inside the Lab in the ASCP Store 

The World Health Organization cites antimicrobial resistance, or AMR, as one of the top 10 global public health threats facing humanity. And according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 2.8 million people in the U.S. contract an antibiotic-resistant infection every year—and more than 35,000 die. What do laboratory professionals need to know about the emerging data around antimicrobial resistance? And what can we do in the lab to support infection prevention and control? 

On this episode of Inside the Lab, our hosts Dr. Lotte Mulder and Ms. Kelly Swails are joined by Dr. Patricia Simner, PhD, D(ABMM), Associate Professor of Pathology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Director of the Medical Bacteriology and Infectious Disease Sequencing Laboratories at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Dr. Romney Humphries, PhD, D(ABMM), M(ASCP), Medical Director of Microbiology and Director of Infectious Disease Laboratories at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and Dr. Lynn Bry, MD, PhD, Medical Director of Clinical Microbiology and Molecular Pathology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Director of the Massachusetts Host-Microbiome Center at Harvard Medical School, to discuss antimicrobial resistance. 

Our panelists discuss the current fears surrounding emerging antibiotic resistance in the U.S. and explain how AMR is changing the way we practice medicine. They explore what lab professionals can do to navigate the workflow challenges in microbiology caused by antimicrobial resistance and describe the most worrisome resistance signatures in the emerging data. Listen in for insight on how to participate in efforts to combat emerging resistance and prepare your lab for an encounter with multidrug-resistant organisms. 

Topics Covered  

· The biggest challenges around antimicrobial resistance facing the human population today 
· Current fears surrounding emerging antimicrobial resistance in the U.S.
· What laboratory professionals can do to navigate the workflow challenges in microbiology caused by AMR
· How labs can participate in regional, national, and global efforts to combat emerging resistance
· Hope for combating antimicrobial resistance 

Connect with ASCP
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ASCP on Twitter 

Connect with Dr. Simner
Dr. Simner on Twitter
Dr. Simner at Johns Hopkins 

Connect with Dr. Humphies
Dr. Humphries on Twitter
Dr. Humphries at Vanderbilt 

Connect with Dr. Bry
 Dr. Bry on Twitter
Dr. Bry at Brigham and Women’s Hospital 

Connect with Dr. Mulder & Ms. Swails
Dr. Mulder on Twitter
Ms. Swails on Twitter 

Resources
CDC Info on Antibiotic Resistance
WHO Fact Sheet on Antimicrobial Resistance
Inside the Lab in the ASCP Store 

In general, consolidating several microbiology labs into one and automating our processes facilitates innovation and efficiency and creates a safer patient environment. But consolidation and total laboratory automation (TLA) also come with challenges. So, what do pathologists and laboratory professionals need to think about as we transition to centralized labs and implement TLA systems? 

On this episode of Inside the Lab, our hosts Dr. Dan Milner and Ms. Kelly Swails are joined by Dr. Sarah Buss, PhD, D(ABMM), Microbiology Director for Northern Light Laboratory and Instructor for the Medical Laboratory Science Program at the University of Maine, Dr. Karissa Culbreath, PhD, Medical Director of Infectious Diseases at Tricore Reference Laboratories and Associate Professor of Pathology at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Dr. Mark Fisher, PhD, Medical Director of the Bacteriology, Antimicrobials, Parasitology and Infectious Disease Rapid Testing Laboratories at ARUP and Assistant Professor of Pathology at the University of Utah School of Medicine, and Dr. Erin McElvania, PhD, Director of Clinical Microbiology at NorthShore University Health System and Clinical Assistant Professor of Pathology at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, to discuss consolidation and total laboratory automation in the microbiology lab.  

Our panelists share the pros and cons of consolidation efforts in terms of patient safety and laboratory quality, explaining what they do to promote clinician interaction when the microbiology lab is centralized. They describe three popular TLA systems and weigh in on the personnel changes and contingency planning required when bringing automation to the microbiology lab. Listen in for insight on the benefits of decentralizing technology in consolidated systems and learn what innovative features are likely to be added to TLA platforms moving forward. 

Topics Covered 
·  What the term consolidation refers to in the laboratory and some examples of how multiple hospitals or health systems can be served by a single lab
·  The pros and cons of consolidation efforts in microbiology in terms of patient safety and laboratory quality
·  The factors that determine what tests remain at smaller community hospital labs 
·  How potential cost savings inform the decision to execute on consolidation
·  The importance of contingency planning in automated labs

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Connect with Dr. Buss
Dr. Buss at Northern Light Health
Dr. Buss on LinkedIn 

Connect with Dr. Culbreath
Dr. Culbreath on Twitter

Connect with Dr. Fisher
Dr. Fisher at ARUP

Connect with Dr. McElvania
Dr. McElvania on Twitter

Connect with Dr. Milner & Ms. Swails
Dr. Milner on Twitter
Ms. Swails on Twitter 

Resources
Inside the Lab in the ASCP Store 

The principal tenet of medicine is to “first, do no harm.” And yet, the U.S. healthcare sector is responsible for 8.5% to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. What can we do in the clinical laboratory to deliver care with a smaller carbon footprint? 

On this episode of Inside the Lab, our hosts Dr. Dan Milner and Ms. Kelly Swails are joined by Dr. Ilyssa Gordon, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Pathology and Medical Director for Sustainability at the Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Cassandra Thiel, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Departments of Population Health and Ophthalmology at NYU Langone Health, and Mr. James Connelly, CEO of My Green Lab, to discuss the carbon footprint of laboratories. 

Our panelists describe the healthcare sector’s impact on climate, and share what goes into conducting a life-cycle assessment and what it tells us about the environmental impact of a product or service. They explain how we can leverage the ACT label to promote sustainability in lab product manufacturing and explore how a shift in the supply chain compares to reducing consumption in an individual lab. Listen in for insight on applying the principles of reduce, reuse, and recycle to the clinical lab and find out how you can help minimize the carbon footprint of your lab. 

Topics Covered  

· How the healthcare sector is responsible for as much as 10% of carbon emissions
· What inspired a study around the carbon footprint of GI biopsies and the response they’ve gotten to their work
· What goes into performing a life-cycle assessment and what it tells us about the environmental impact of a product or service
· Leveraging the ACT label to choose sustainable products and ultimately influence lab product markets
· Applying the principles of reduce, reuse, and recycle to the clinical lab
· Why focusing on a shift in the supply chain makes a bigger impact than reducing consumption in an individual lab

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Connect with Dr. Gordon
Dr. Gordon on LinkedIn
Dr. Gordon at the Cleveland Clinic 

Connect with Dr. Thiel
Dr. Thiel on Twitter
Dr. Thiel at NYU

Connect with Mr. Connelly
Mr. Connelly on LinkedIn
My Green Lab 

Connect with Dr. Milner & Ms. Swails
Dr. Milner on Twitter
Ms. Swails on Twitter 

Resources
‘Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Gastrointestinal Biopsies in a Surgical Pathology Laboratory’ in the American Journal of Clinical Pathology
‘A Different Kind of Laboratory Stewardship’ in the American Journal of Clinical Pathology
Inside the Lab in the ASCP Store 

The clinical laboratory workforce is crucial to the U.S. healthcare system, providing critical information in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of disease. And yet, the number of laboratory professionals continues to shrink. What can we do to reverse this trend? 

On this episode of Inside the Lab, Dr. Lotte Mulder and guest host Ms. Edna Garcia, Director of Scientific Engagement and Research at ASCP’s Institute for Science, Technology and Policy in Washington, DC, are joined by Ms. Susan Skillman, MS, Senior Deputy Director of the University of Washington Center for Health Workforce Studies, and Ms. Allyson Flores, MLS(ASCP)CM, Manager of Flow Cytometry and Hematopathology at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, DC, to discuss workforce policy. 

Our panelists describe ASCP’s ongoing research around wage and vacancy, including the most recent Clinical Laboratory Workforce report produced in conjunction with the University of Washington’s Center for Health Workforce Studies. They explain the most critical challenges facing our workforce today, exploring how to increase the visibility of careers in the lab, improve recruitment and retention, and promote diversity and inclusion in the field of laboratory medicine. Listen in for insight on how the pandemic is likely to shape the future of the profession and learn how you can help implement the innovative strategies proposed in the ASCP-UW CHWS report. 

Topics Covered  

· ASCP’s ongoing research around wage and vacancy in the clinical laboratory profession
· ASCP’s partnership with the UW Center for Health Workforce Studies on the most recent Clinical Laboratory Workforce Report 
· Critical challenges currently facing the clinical laboratory workforce
· Why diversity is essential to the future of the profession and what we can do to recruit a more diverse clinical laboratory workforce
· What attracted our panelists to laboratory medicine and how we might leverage those aspects of the career to address recruitment
· Opportunities for institutions to communicate with local medical laboratory science programs around what trainees need to know
· What the report teaches us about professional development opportunities and wage progression that might inform our practices moving forward 

Connect with ASCP 

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Connect with Ms. Skillman 

Ms. Skillman on Twitter
Ms. Skillman at UW CHWS 

Connect with Ms. Flores 

Ms. Flores on Twitter
Ms. Flores on LinkedIn 

Connect with Dr. Mulder & Ms. Garcia 

Dr. Mulder on Twitter
Ms. Garcia on LinkedIn 

Resources 

ASCP’s Clinical Laboratory Workforce Report
Inside the Lab in the ASCP Store 

Although the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over, it’s never too early to start planning for the next global health crisis. What have we learned as pathologists and laboratory professionals over the last 18 months? And how can we apply these key learnings to prepare for the next pandemic? 

On this episode of Inside the Lab, our hosts Dr. Lotte Mulder and Ms. Kelly Swails are joined by Dr. Omai Garner, PhD, Associate Clinical Professor and Director of Clinical Microbiology in the UCLA Health System, Dr. Karen Kaul, MD, PhD, Chair of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at North Shore Research Institute and Clinical Professor of Pathology at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, and Dr. Keith Jerome, MD, PhD, Head of the University of Washington Virology Laboratory and Professor at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Resource Center, to discuss the next pandemic. 

Our panelists share the lessons they’ve learned through the COVID-19 pandemic, describing the characteristics of their labs that proved beneficial and how the visibility of laboratory medicine shifted since the onset of the pandemic. They explore what tests or assays they might need to prepare for the next pandemic and offer insight on what we can do to ensure that labs have access to those resources. Listen in for Dr. Garner, Dr. Kaul, and Dr. Jerome’s take on what aspects of medical care improved as a result of the COVID response and learn why it’s crucial to remember that we’re still in the midst of the current crisis. 

Topics Covered  

· The biggest lessons learned throughout the COVID pandemic
· What the panelists would do differently in their own labs if they could do it over again
· How public health officials and private health systems can work together to provide rapid and seamless lab testing in the future
· What we can do to ensure that labs have access to the resources they need for the next pandemic
· The increased understanding of the value of pathology and laboratory medicine in institutions and among the general public through COVID
· What aspects of medical care improved as a result of the COVID response
· The role the lab plays in the dissemination of reliable information and what we can do to improve
· Why it’s crucial to remember that we’re still in the midst of the current pandemic

Connect with ASCP 

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Connect with Dr. Garner
Dr. Garner at Twitter
Dr. Garner at UCLA Health 

Connect with Dr. Kaul
Dr. Kaul on Twitter
Dr. Kaul at North Shore 

Connect with Dr. Jerome
Dr. Jerome on LinkedIn
Dr. Jerome at the University of Washington 

Connect with Dr. Mulder & Ms. Swails
Dr. Mulder on Twitter
Ms. Swails on Twitter 

Resources
Inside the Lab in the ASCP Store 

Pathology administrators are tasked with the recruitment, retention, and management of laboratory staff. But how do you attract personnel for hard-to-fill positions? And how do you help young pathologists and laboratory professionals advance their careers and become the next generation of leaders?  

On this episode of Inside the Lab, our hosts Dr. Lotte Mulder and Ms. Kelly Swails are joined by Ms. Kelley Suskie, MHSA, FACMPE, Administrator for the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Science, Mr. John Baci, MBA, C-PM, Executive Director of Anatomic Pathology at Boston Children’s Hospital, and Mr. Martin Lawlor, Director of Finance and Administration for the Department of Pathology at Michigan Medicine, to discuss personnel management. 

Our panelists explain what administrators can do to prepare for the retirement cliff facing pathology, challenging laboratory professionals to mentor the next generation of leaders. They explore how personnel management differs in an academic versus clinical setting and offer strategies for networking in the pathology administration community. Listen in as our panelists share their most challenging personnel management experiences and get their advice on confronting bad behavior early on and holding people accountable for their actions as pathology administrators. 

Topics Covered  

·  Suggestions for recruiting and retaining personnel for hard-to-fill positions
· Creating succession plans for the laboratory professionals 
·  Preparing for the retirement cliff the pathology field is facing and developing the next generation of leaders
· Why it’s better to help top performers advance and move on rather than hold them back
· How to reconcile making yourself invaluable in the lab with empowering your team
· How personnel management differs in an academic vs. clinical setting
· Strategies for connecting with others in the community of academic pathology administration
· The importance of both internal and external networking in the personnel management space
· Challenging personnel management experiences
· Developing the courage to confront bad behavior early on and hold people accountable for their actions
· Our panelists’ advice around mentoring aspiring pathology administrators 

Connect with ASCP
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ASCP on Facebook
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Connect with Ms. Suskie

Ms. Suskie on LinkedIn
Ms. Suskie on Twitter 

Connect with Mr. Baci 

Mr. Baci at Boston Children’s Hospital
Mr. Baci on LinkedIn

 Connect with Mr. Lawlor 

Mr. Lawlor at Michigan Medicine 

Connect with Dr. Mulder & Ms. Swails 

Dr. Mulder on Twitter
Ms. Swails on Twitter 

Resources 

Inside the Lab in the ASCP Store