ASCP’s Support of the
CDC OneLab™ Initiative
The OneLab Initiative is a CDC-led effort to bridge, train, and sustain a capacity-building community (OneLab Network) among public health and clinical laboratory professionals to support rapid, large-scale responses to public health emergencies. This effort includes developing a new learning management system for laboratory professionals (OneLab REACH). OneLab REACH also provides the ability to opt‐in for access to an educational hub of training resources for professionals and volunteers performing CLIA‐waived point‐of‐care diagnostic testing in non‐laboratory settings (OneLab TEST).
ASCP, through a cooperative agreement with the CDC, is proud to bring awareness of the OneLab Network to its members. Through this 3-year program, ASCP will also develop and support CDC in the development of new training resources and tools to address ongoing and emergent laboratory workforce challenges. Find out more about ASCP’s training and resources to support the CDC OneLab Initiative and how you can get involved in this effort here!
Negotiation & Advocacy Toolbox Pillars
To advocate for your laboratory and staffing needs, demonstration of the laboratory’s value to the overall healthcare system and patient care is critical. Developing a structured laboratory strategic plan can help outline and operationalize the core pillars needed to demonstrate value of the laboratory.
Training Resources
Microlearning Series: Effective Test Utilization for Clinical Laboratories
Microlearning is a CME/CMLE-accredited, case-based activity designed to help clinical laboratory team members increase their knowledge, skills, and competence in applying proven effective test utilization best practices for clinical laboratories. Through a series of nine 5-minute cases developed by a multidisciplinary team, you will gain a greater understanding of current and evidence-based guidelines to inform and impact clinical test ordering practices and reduce overconsumption of supplies without compromising patient care.
Some of the topics covered in this activity include:
- Effective test utilization for pancreatitis and cardiac injury and AMI
- Blood collection tube consumption and conservation
- Strategies for reducing repeat daily lab test ordering
- Molecular test utilization for cancer biomarkers
- Vitamin D sound-alike test utilization
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:
Apply proven effective test utilization best practices for clinical laboratories.
Outline ways to reduce overconsumption of testing supplies without compromising patient care.
Evaluate evidence-based guidelines to inform and impact test ordering practices.
Improve communication with ordering physicians to more effectively use available resources.
Once registered you will receive an email from ASCP with directions for resetting your password.
Thank you for your interest in the Effective Test Utilization for Clinical Laboratories microlearning course.
For questions, please contact: grants@ascp.org.
Virtual Learning Series
Building Bridges Across the Laboratory Community:
ASCP is collaborating with the CDC to launch, Building Bridges Across the Laboratory Community. This virtual laboratory capacity building series will spotlight stories of collaborative laboratory partnerships contributing to effective emergency response management and innovative solutions to workforce challenges. These case studies will showcase collaborations across the greater laboratory community and focus on lessons learned and best practices.
Exchanging Best Practices & Creating Statewide Policy Change for the Lab Workforce
Topic: The New York State Laboratory Leadership Consortium, presenting on their mobilization to exchange laboratory best practices at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to support local COVID-19 testing and emergency responses and subsequently to collectively impact state-wide policies affecting laboratory licensure for laboratory professionals in New York.
Faculty: Jim Crawford, MD, Chair of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Hofstra/Northwell Health
John Tomaszewski, MD, Chair of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Buffalo
Jenny Libien, MD, Chair of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, SUNY Downstate
Eloise Aita, PhD, President, New York State Clinical Laboratory Association
Kenra Ford, Vice President of Clinical Services Operations, NYC Health and Hospitals
3D-Printed Nasal Swabs for the City of Austin’s COVID-19 Response
Faculty: Juan Gomez, Ph.D., Research Associate; Department of Physics – Shared Research Operations; Texas State University
Using Wastewater Surveillance to Understand Infectious Disease Trends
Topic: In this 3rd session of the Building Bridges Across the Laboratory Community series, we are excited to bring you a case study featuring collaborations in support of the CDC’s National Wastewater Surveillance System. Wastewater Surveillance has been used since the 1960s to identify communities with polio transmission. During the COVID pandemic, this surveillance approach was modified to detect infection trends. Wastewater data is a leading indicator of increases and decreases in COVID and is used to inform public health messaging, resource allocation and personal decisions, like masking and travel.
Faculty: Amy Kirby, Ph.D., MPH, National Wastewater Surveillance System Lead, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Increasing National Access to Mpox Testing by Leveraging Reference Lab Capacity
Topic: In this fourth session of the Building Bridges Across the Laboratory Community series, ASCP, and CDC are excited to bring you a case study featuring Suzanne Dale, Ph.D., D(ABMM) on how the Labcorp team worked closely with the CDC and FDA to validate and scale high-throughput testing platforms to response to the emergence of mpox during the summer of 2022. Reference labs are uniquely suited to rapidly increase testing capacity and access to laboratory testing to support public health responses. In addition, the large amount of data generated from high-throughput testing for infectious diseases can provide real-time insights on the epidemiology of outbreaks. Dr. Dale will share her experience collaborating with the CDC and the FDA to validate and scale laboratory assays for mpox, as well as insights from the laboratory data generated from offering testing nationally.
Faculty: Suzanne E. Dale, PhD, D(ABMM);
Discipline Director; Molecular Microbiology and Molecular Infectious Diseases; Labcorp
Resources
Supply Chain Management Techniques
Using Alternative Test Supplies/Vendors/Labs
Testing Conservation Strategies
Ordering Additional Supplies
Continuing Communication with Vendor
Educating Providers
Events
Keep checking back for upcoming events.
Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteer and consultant opportunities are forthcoming to support Year 2 of grant activities. Check back later this Summer/Fall to see how you can get involved!
Interested? Email grants@ascp.org for more information about eligibility, current needs, and expectations.