If nothing is done, the summer will be “catastrophic” in the OPTILAB laboratories, according to the Professional Order of Medical Technologists of Quebec (OPTMQ). Its president, Loan Luu, believes that “it is urgent to act” in order to implement the solutions that her organization has been proposing for a year to counter the labor shortage and prevent patients from becoming ill. expenses. The question also concerns the Alliance of Professional and Technical Personnel in Health and Social Services (APTS), which is organizing a day of reflection on Monday in Quebec bringing together doctors’ unions, patient groups and college educational establishments.
“OPTILAB management is calling us to tell us that, really, it’s going to be a very difficult summer,” says the president of OPTMQ. It will be widespread. » All regions will have to deal with a lack of medical technologists during the summer holidays. The OPTMQ is concerned about the impacts on patients, in particular longer delays in producing results. He also fears that samples will be lost and that the “quality” of samples is “not optimal” due to the “centralization” of analyzes in the 12 OPTILAB laboratory clusters. Since the OPTILAB reform in 2017, several types of samples are sent and processed in large centers, and no longer in the laboratories of smaller hospitals.
“And 85% of diagnoses are based on laboratory test results,” says Loan Luu. Errors in analyzes or delays in analyzes still have significant repercussions for the patient and the health network: poor diagnosis, poor treatment, late diagnosis, treatment delays for the patient. »
The OPTMQ claims to have proposed solutions to the government “several times” over the past year to remedy the labor shortage. On April 28, 2023, he participated in a consultation organized by Quebec regarding the organization of the OPTILAB laboratories, along with other partners from the public health network. For the moment, no measures advocated by the OPTMQ have been applied. A follow-up meeting is however planned, according to its president, who says she is “working in close collaboration with government authorities”.
“The priority [selon nous]is to make adherence to our order obligatory,” judges Loan Luu. She explains that, to work in blood banks and in pathology, you must be part of the OPTMQ and hold the title of medical technologist. Such a permit is not necessary in other laboratory sectors, because the acts are not reserved there. Those who work there have “certified medical laboratory technician” positions and have the same salary as medical technologists.
According to her, graduates in biomedical analysis technology choose the latter option, because they will not have to pay the professional contribution of $400 — they also save themselves 20 hours of continuing education every two years. “But these people [pourraient] go to work everywhere because they have had the training to do so,” she emphasizes. If everyone had the title of medical technologist, there would be fewer shortages of workers in blood banks, which would largely solve the shortage, says Loan Luu.
Day of reflection in Quebec
In “solution mode”, the APTS is organizing a day of reflection on the future of medical biology laboratories on Monday in Quebec. The Federation of Specialist Physicians of Quebec, the Federation of General Practitioners of Quebec, patient groups and college educational establishments participate. The OPTMQ and the ministry, who were invited, will be absent, indicates the APTS.
The union president, Robert Comeau, shares the OPTMQ’s concerns regarding the shortage, but believes that compulsory membership in the OPTMQ will not solve the problem. “It doesn’t add people as such,” he observes. It might help a little, but it’s not a very revolutionary solution. » With the new collective agreement, medical technologists will see their professional dues of $400 reimbursed half. On condition, specifies Robert Comeau, that they work full time, which is not the case for all employees.
According to the president of the APTS, the lack of personnel is more due to the too low number of students in biomedical technology programs. “The shortage we are experiencing is there for at least three years because we are not able to fill the colleges,” he said. Why are we not able to attract people, to reorganize work? »
The president of the Association of Hematologists and Oncologists of Quebec urges the government to act on this issue. The Dr Normand Blais co-signed a letter in THE Montreal Journal denouncing in particular the delays caused by OPTILAB. According to him, patients are already suffering from the staff shortage. Heart surgeries, which require blood transfusions, must be canceled when there is a shortage of medical technologists in blood banks. “It happens repeatedly,” says Dr.r Blais. This never happened before. »