The Management of Clinical Laboratories in Europe: a FESCC Survey

Abstract

The professional duties of the specialists in clinical chemistry differ from country to country in Europe. One of the main goals of the Strategic Plan of the Forum of the European Societies of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (FESCC; IFCC-Europe) is to promote a high scientific and professional standard in the field of clinical chemistry and laboratory medicine in Europe. This can be stimulated by the knowledge of the local conditions in each country and by striving towards a strong and harmonised position in all the European countries.

In order to enhance the knowledge of the managerial situation of the specialists in clinical chemistry in Europe, FESCC launched a survey in September 2000. This survey provides information about the position of the specialists in clinical chemistry in the various disciplines in the medical laboratories and in hospitals, and about the advisory tasks and the managerial education during the post-graduate training in clinical chemistry. Of the 35 FESCC member countries 33 have participated in the survey (94%).

The results show a rather heterogeneous situation in Europe caused by the local historical developments, the differences in academic background and the relative numbers of private and physicians' office laboratories. Large differences exist between the European countries in the disciplines of laboratory medicine that are headed by a specialist in clinical chemistry. In the different countries the clinical chemistry laboratories are headed by specialists in clinicazl chemistry in between 20% and 100% of the laboratories. The haematology, immunology, microbiology, therapeutic drug monitoring, molecular biology and haemostasis laboratories and departments of blood banking are headed by specialists in clinical chemistry in between 0% and 100% of the laboratories.

The responsibilities for the various managerial tasks of the specialists in clinical chemistry show no uniformity in Europe. In the majority of the countries the general management, the purchase of equipment and reagents and the education of technicians are in >90% the responsibility of the specialists in clinical chemistry.

In most countries the majority of the specialists in clinical chemistry are members of the medical staff of the hospitals and have a position equivalent to the position of specialists in other medical disciplines. In some countries, however, it only holds true for the specialists with a medical background.

In 79% of the countries the law regulates the profession of the specialists in clinical chemistry and in 60% of the countries the law regulates their position in the medical staff of the hospital.

The advisory tasks to physicians, general practitioners and other users of laboratory tests are practised by >90% of the laboratories in 64% of the countries. Information is given directly to the patients by >90% of the laboratories in 30% of the countries. Only in a few countries laboratories give information to the public.

The post-graduate training in clinical chemistry includes a managerial training in 58% of the countries, the study of information technology in 61% of the countries and an economy and/or a business administration study in 15% of the countries. In 27% of the countries no managerial education forms part of the post-graduate study in clinical chemistry.

Harmonisation of the managerial aspects of the profession is one of the challenges for the European specialists in clinical chemistry. A European syllabus for post-graduate training could be helpful.