Today, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre has come full-circle by reaching that original milestone. They therefore announced an extremely generous $50-million donation to fund a state-of-the-art research centre. This new facility will bring renewed attention to early cancer detection and saving more lives at an earlier time. Her donation comes at an especially important time. Ontario’s medical laboratories are in pediatric red alert mode and facing a crisis level staffing shortage making it impossible to safely provide quality care.
The Medical Laboratory Professionals Association of Ontario (MLPAO) aren’t waiting for action. To do so, they’re calling for $6 million in funding from the provincial government within the next three years. This funding is meant to create trained in-lab trainers, who would guide students through medical laboratory programs. It’s a constant reminder of the struggles that medical labs still face. In fact, all of them are — they’re fighting just to keep their current staffing levels out the door.
Staffing Shortages Persist
Recent surveys of medical laboratory professionals, conducted by the MLPAO, show statistically significant and shocking data about what is happening on the ground in Ontario’s medical labs. 69% of laboratories responding to a recent ACLA survey cite a lack of MLTs as a lab bottleneck. In the last ten years alone, the crunch has taken a turn for the worse, at a drastically accelerating pace. This tension came to a head during the COVID-19 pandemic, producing a national staffing crisis.
Too many lab technicians are overworked, sometimes pulling double shifts or missing vacations just to keep labs operating. Michelle Hoad, a representative from the MLPAO, noted, “A lot of people were understaffed, overworked.” This persistent understaffing results in delays in test processing that greatly affect patient care.
The MLPAO’s survey indicates that delays in receiving test results are increasingly common. This is dire in the context of major diagnoses, like cancer and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Patients are already waiting longer than ever to receive vital information about their health, which can be life-changing.
Educational Initiatives and Clinical Placements
In the context of the repeated healthcare staffing crisis, the Ontario government announced developing 700 new spots in MLT programs for 2024. These programs are critical for training up the next generation of technologists to meet and expand upon the gaps in the workforce. Students need to pass their clinical placements in order to graduate and practice. Sadly, the lack of trainers adds enough of a barrier to their efforts.
In fact, a staggering 37% of labs not currently taking students for clinical placements at present. You’d have to walk them back on that position if government-paid trainers were suddenly all around. Hoad emphasized the importance of having enough qualified individuals to mentor students: “When a lab is short-staffed, they’re not able to take a student from that program.” The lack of trainers only adds to the problem in a vicious cycle. This long-term shortfall contributes to a declining pipeline of skilled practitioners.
A Call for Action
Current crisis in Ontario’s hospital medical labs is a dangerous situation that needs quick action by provincial officials. The MLPAO’s efforts to raise money to pay for in-lab trainers is a major step in the right direction to help solve the ongoing crisis. Strong investment in post-secondary education and training will help the province to raise the bar on medical labs. This meaningful upgrade will help labs keep up with increasing demand and improve patient outcomes.
Now, thanks to a generous recent donation, the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre has embarked on a highly ambitious project. This initiative is a much-needed reminder of the need for improved staffing and training throughout our healthcare system. Smart, robust funding for both research and strategic investments in education will go a long way. This collaborative approach is sure to produce the best possible outcomes for patients across Ontario.
