C LINICAL PRACTICE
functions and impact but with added skills. This emerging 5. Mechanic D. Physician discontent: Challenges and opportunities.
professional has broad consulting and teaching skills and JAMA 2003; 290: 941-6.
6. Kratz A, Laposata M. Enhanced clinical consulting – moving toward
the ability to move outside the physical boundaries of the
the core competencies of laboratory professionals. Clin Chim Acta
laboratory to function knowledgeably as an integral part 2002;319:117-25
of a patient-oriented professional team. They are actively 7. Bernstein L. The Doctorate in Clinical Laboratory Sciences: The
involved in promoting better test ordering, test utilization Time Has Come, NAACLS News, Special Edition Volume 92: 10-
and test evaluation. All of these are critical components of 11, 2006
quality health care. The CLS doctorate’s capabilities can 8. Laposata M. Patient-specific narrative interpretations of complex
clinical laboratory evaluations; who is competent to provide them?
significantly improve patient outcomes and patient safety. ClinChem 2004; 50:471-2.
In addition they can significantly reduce the overall costs of 9. ASCLS Position Paper: Doctoral Education in Clinical Laboratory
health care3, 16. Science. Approved by the ASCLS House of Delegates June, 1989.
10. Forsman R W: Why is the laboratory an afterthought for managed
Clin Lab Sci encourages readers to respond with thoughts, ques- care organizations? Clin Chem. 1996; 42(5):813-6
11. ASCLS Position Paper: Advanced Practice: Doctorate in clinical
tions, or comments regarding this article. Email responses to
Laboratory Science. Approved by the ASCLS House of Delegates
westminsterpublishers@comcast.net. In the subject line, please July 2005.
type “CLIN LAB SCI 22(3) I MONTOYA”. Selected responses 12. NAACLS NEWS: A Clinical Doctorate for the Laboratory. Special
will appear in the Dialogue and Discussion section in a future Edition 92, 1-11, Spring 2006
issue. Responses may be edited for length and clarity. We look 13. NAACLS Standards for Clinical Laboratory Science Doctorates.
forward to hearing from you.