Across the country, clinical laboratories are struggling to fill critical technologist roles. The ripple effects of these shortages are no longer just operational; they’re clinical. When labs run with too few trained professionals, workloads spike, burnout accelerates, and the risk of diagnostic error rises.
A 2024 Medical Laboratory Observer survey found that 65% of respondents cited staffing shortages as a key driver of operational inefficiency, leading to heavier workloads and higher burnout rates (1). Those conditions don’t just delay testing—they compromise diagnostic accuracy itself.
Staffing Shortages Are Pushing Labs Past Their Limits
In many facilities, fewer technologists are now responsible for more instruments, more specimens, and more documentation. This pressure erodes the time available for critical quality-control (QC) steps, such as calibrations, cross-checks, and result verification. According to the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS), insufficiently trained or overextended staff directly threatens the safety and quality of patient care, from extended turnaround times to increased reruns and reporting delays (2).
Retention gaps compound these challenges. Experienced personnel are leaving faster than they can be replaced, while onboarding programs for new hires or rotating contract staff often fall short. As a result, essential oversight and institutional knowledge disappear—leaving labs vulnerable to mistakes that could have been prevented (2).
How Understaffing Impacts Diagnostic Accuracy
When a technologist’s focus is divided across too many instruments or test lines, errors multiply. Research has shown that multitasking in complex environments depletes cognitive resources, reducing the ability to manage unexpected events or subtle anomalies in data (2).
Even small shortcuts—skipping a QC check, overlooking a flag, delaying instrument maintenance—can cascade into false results or compliance failures. For patients, that might mean an incorrect diagnosis or a missed treatment window. For the lab, it can mean repeat testing, loss of clinician trust, and regulatory risk.
Strategies to Reinforce Accuracy Under Staffing Strain
While hiring and retention are long-term challenges, labs can take immediate steps to safeguard diagnostic quality:
- Standardize QC procedures to ensure consistency across shifts and sites. Clear, uniform processes minimize reliance on individual expertise.
- Leverage automation and instrument integration to reduce manual entry, prevent transcription errors, and free staff for high-value analytical work. Automation can significantly lower human error rates and strengthen data integrity (3).
- Use data-driven staffing models. Align staffing decisions with test volume, error trends, and QC performance—not just budget lines—to sustain safe operational capacity (2).
- Partner with supportive vendors that provide integrated documentation, traceability, and workflow-friendly materials to lighten administrative load (3).
How SEKISUI Diagnostics Helps
At SEKISUI Diagnostics, we understand that every rerun and every delay has real clinical consequences. Our QC-aligned reagents, calibrators, and controls are designed to minimize variability and reduce re-runs, helping lean lab teams maintain consistency under pressure.
With clear IFUs, reliable shelf life, and responsive technical support, we help laboratories uphold accuracy even when staffing is tight. Our solutions—from QC Inside® to OSOM® Rapid Tests and Clinical Chemistry Reagents—simplify operations so your team can focus on what matters most: delivering trusted results.
The Technical Service teams, which are experienced and trained Medical Laboratory Professionals (MLP) have worked in the lab and understand the daily challenges of each customer. This insight provides a more enhanced understanding of not only how to support customers, but to anticipate issues before they happen.
The Path Forward
Staffing shortages are likely to persist, but diagnostic error doesn’t have to. By strengthening quality systems, embracing automation, and choosing partners who prioritize reliability, clinical leaders can transform today’s staffing crisis into an opportunity for lasting quality improvement.
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References
1. Nadeau, Kara. MLO's 2024 survey of laboratory professionals. Medical Laboratory Observer. [Online] MLO, August 2024. https://www.mlo-online.com/management/careers/article/55131251/mlos-2024-survey-of-laboratory-professionals.
2. The American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science. Addressing the Clinical Laboratory Workforce Shortage. ASCLS. [Online] ASCLS, 2020. https://ascls.org/addressing-the-clinical-laboratory-workforce-shortage/.
3. Diamond Diagnostics. Minizming Laboratory Errors: The Role of Automation in Reducing Mistakes. Diamond Diagnostics. [Online] Diamond Diagnostics, October 2024. https://www.diamonddiagnostics.com/blog/minimizing-laboratory-errors-the-role-of-automation-in-reducing-mistakes.
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