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MLO - State of the Industry: Lab Management Best Practices 2026
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1.
What is your job function? (Select only one)
(Required.)
Lab manager/administrator/supervisor
CLS
MLS/MS
Lab director
Section head/department manager
MLT-Medical laboratory technician
Chief/asst chief medical technologist
Compliance/QA coordinator/manager
POCC/POCT coordinator
Educator/department chair/faculty
Microbiologist
Pathologist/physician
Phlebotomist/nurse
Clinical chemist
LIS/EMR/EHR staff or manager
Group practice manager/administrator
Hematologist
Owner/officer
Hospital administrator
Other (please specify)
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2.
Which lab facility best describes where you work? (Select only one)
(Required.)
Hospital/Healthcare system lab
Independent lab
Physician’s office lab
Group practice lab
Government/public health lab
Medical school/Med Tech/CLS ed program
Blood bank
PPO/HMO
Freestanding emergency center/ambulatory care center
Biomedical industrial lab
Other (please specify)
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3.
How many employees work at your lab? (Select only one)
(Required.)
1-10
11-20
21-50
51-100
More than 100
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4.
What is the annual volume of testing performed at your lab? (Select only one)
(Required.)
More than 2,000,000 tests
1,000,001 – 2,000,000
500,001 – 1,000,000
100,001 – 500,000
50,001 – 100,000
25,001 – 50,000
Less than 25,000 tests
Not applicable
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5.
Have you implemented any of the following to retain and recruit staff? (Select all that apply)
(Required.)
Clinical ladders (structure to encourage professional development, such as from novice to expert)
Financial incentives (sign-on bonuses, merit allowances, retention bonuses)
Perks (free parking, onsite gym, onsite day care, reimburse public transportation costs)
Partnerships with local colleges/universities and tech schools to offer internships in your lab
Utilize outside laboratory recruitment services/agencies
A succession-planning process by offering additional responsibilities to your top performers and measuring results
Daily huddles with peer recognition
Provide continuing education
Shift changes to offer employee scheduling flexibility (12-hour shifts, weekends, etc.)
Team building/celebration activities
Other (please specify)
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6.
What best practices have you implemented to streamline your supplier/vendor contracting process? (Select all that apply)
(Required.)
Adopted ongoing reviews of reference lab costs and contracts
Signed longer contracts (for example, 7 years instead of 1–3 years)
Worked with supply chain management on supplies that are on GPO (group purchasing organization) contracts that offer additional savings
Developed good relationships with supplier support personnel, so you have access to training and product optimization suggestions
Other (please specify)
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7.
Have you taken any of the following steps to ensure reimbursement covers your costs? (Select all that apply)
(Required.)
Incorporated IT solutions to reduce human error
Incorporated IT solutions to help keep current with regulations
Adopted process to review savings opportunities, such as evaluating analyzers, on a regular schedule
Created standard lab processes and staff education materials
Standardized instrumentation workflows and checklists
Implemented ongoing waste and efficiency studies to find potential savings in overhead
Brought health screening tests in house
Adopted the use of analyzers that provide walkaway testing to reduce staffing and FTE hours
Implemented ongoing efforts to reduce coding frustrations and modifications
Before implementing a new test, evaluated reimbursement pricing for all participating insurance providers to ensure rates will cover costs
Other (please specify)
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8.
If you cannot track whether reimbursement covers your costs, what are the stumbling blocks to doing so? (Select all that apply)
(Required.)
Not enough lab staff time
Not enough IT staff time/IT resources
Do not have software to automate tracking/analysis of costs
Lack of interoperability between laboratory information system and revenue cycle management software
Not enough barcoded testing supplies
N/A, we are able to track
Other (please specify)
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9.
What steps have you taken to improve inventory control and consumable supply costs? (Select all that apply)
(Required.)
Developed supply utilization tracking and record keeping
Developed ongoing review comparing supply reports to the number of invoiced tests
Worked with other members of the organization, such as the CMO (Chief Medical Officer) and physicians, to standardize test ordering throughout the organization
Evaluated inventory levels for basic supplies, such as assays and controls/reagents
Secured access to electronic inventory tracking from the supply chain/materials management department
Implemented vendor-managed ordering
Implemented lease agreements that do not include volume commitments
N/A- this is handled by a different organization/location
Other (please specify)
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10.
What steps have you taken to improve the quality and efficiency of testing? (Select all that apply)
(Required.)
Standardized test ordering procedures and formularies
Implemented a pre-approval program for tests that are send-outs
Implemented evidence-based test utilization backed by data
Evaluated temperature monitoring equipment and procedures
Staff or committee reviewing SOPs
Review results turnaround time for improvements
N/A
Other (please specify)
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11.
What are some best practices you have implemented for adopting new tools for laboratory automation? (Select all that apply)
(Required.)
Designated a project manager to coordinate short- and long-term planning and implementation with the vendor
Analyzed workflow processes for proper space planning
Involved the IT department early in the process
Ensuring system integration for seamless process and data flows
N/A
Other (please specify)
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12.
What best practices have you developed to train staff on new software? (Select all that apply)
(Required.)
Created a train-the-trainer model
Developed lunch-and-learn training sessions
Developed mandatory training for new lab employees that is led by the IT department
Annual online education refresher
Created written standard procedures for all lab employees
Lab person received LIS training to develop an in-house expert
Vendor-hosted in-house or online training
Other (please specify)
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13.
What best practices have you implemented to address supply-chain issues? (Select all that apply)
(Required.)
Implemented standing orders (instead of just in time) for crucial supplies
Utilized multiple testing platforms
Laboratory-developed tests (LDTs)
Switched to reusable types of personal protective equipment, such as moving from disposable to reusable lab coats
Established relationship with multiple vendors
Worked with state public health officials to gain access to needed testing supplies
Not currently experiencing supply chain issues
Other (please specify)
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14.
How do you prioritize the technology needs in your capital budget? (Select all that apply)
(Required.)
Technology needed to remain competitive
Technology needed to cover staff shortages with automated equipment
Technology needed to cover broken/older equipment
Technology needed to improve quality of patient care
Technology needed to be more efficient/reduce costs
Technology needed to standardize processes
Other (please specify)
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15.
How does your laboratory ensure all required analytes and methods are appropriately enrolled in proficiency testing? (Select all that apply)
(Required.)
Manual review of test menu
LIS-based test mapping
Middleware or analytics software
Rely on PT provider recommendations
External consultant/accreditation support
Not sure/unclear
Other (please specify)
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16.
How does your laboratory track and analyze proficiency testing performance over time? (Select all that apply)
(Required.)
Trending across multiple events
Event-by-event review only
Integrated into QA dashboards
Reviewed manually after failures
Not routinely analyzed
Other (please specify)
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17.
Beyond pass/fail review, how does your laboratory use proficiency testing data? (Select all that apply)
(Required.)
Identifying method or instrument bias
Staff training and competency assessment
Quality improvement initiatives
Required documentation only
We do not use PT data beyond compliance
Other (please specify)
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18.
Do you have additional insights you would like to share on this topic that we could quote in this article? If so, please be sure to enter your contact information below. (Select only one)
(Required.)
Yes, I would like to be contacted for further commentary
No, thank you
19.
If yes, Please provide the following
First Name
Last Name
Title
Company
Phone
Email
