An Assessment of the Workforce and Training Needs of Rural Kansas Medical Laboratories

<h3>ABSTRACT</h3> <h3>INTRODUCTION:</h3> Medical laboratory scientists (MLSs) and medical laboratory technicians (MLTs) are in the top 10 highest demand specialties in Kansas hospitals. To date, no research has assessed the workforce of rural laboratories; this study aimed to provide a snapshot of the laboratory workforce characteristics, availability, and capacity in critical access hospitals (CAHs) in rural Kansas. <h3>METHODS:</h3> This was a cross-sectional study conducted between May and July of 2023 via an electronic survey completed by the laboratory leadership from all 82 Kansas CAHs. <h3>RESULTS:</h3> The CAH laboratories employed an average of 4.6 full-time employees, with 37% employing 3 or fewer full-time laboratory staff. In laboratories with 3 or fewer full-time employees, only 27% performed high-complexity laboratory testing. Among CAHs, 38% had open positions for MLT- or MLS-trained individuals. Of MLT and MLS personnel, 40% trained at either local rural community colleges or at a program in the Philippines. <h3>CONCLUSIONS:</h3> Maintaining high-complexity testing in rural laboratories requires proficient staff. More than 50% of CAH laboratories employed at least 1 MLT or MLS trained at a rural community college, underscoring the importance of increasing enrollment to rural laboratory education programs, supporting MLT programs with training ladders toward MLS, and extending to laboratory professionals existing incentives, such as loan forgiveness options for those working with underserved communities, that may improve full-time staff availability.