MARKETING

It would seem reasonable that as we collect data better we would then be in a position to market the practice field knowing more firmly who we are, what our hopes and aspirations are and in what ways we are evolving. The marketing efforts of all of us may then be polished in some way by this information and in fact there may be a value added, in that whatever marketing efforts we participate in would advance the whole field (all rowing together) in whatever way that we could. Our combined wisdom on matters thus relating could (and perhaps should) be formatted into a "field guide" or series of them that would serve as an instrument of successful strategies for dealing with any number of things. Many folks talk about "not reinventing the wheel", but few do anything about it.

• We each could facilitate through our grassroots member based organizations a relationship with K-12 school systems, high school guidance counselors, science teachers and other relevant access points to those young persons for whom clinical laboratory science is an appropriate career path that it should at least be considered. Many members and segments of the ASCLS community have participated in such things for quite a period of time now and our information is that those that have been done most enthusiastically have indeed produced results and cause appropriate persons to seek our field as a career choice. Perhaps the specifics of our efforts and those of other organizations should be fleshed out into a "field guide to relationships with school systems" that might be of value for all of us.
  
  
• Develop a marketing FIELD GUIDE FOR LAB MANAGERS
  
  
• This Field Guide should be constructed (with new or ‘borrowed’ information) so as to answer questions including;
  
  
• What is the value added of laboratory testing. Develop model procedures (template) to accumulate value with our data.
  
  
• Publication/presentations to help managers to confront their supervisors regarding salaries.
  
  
• Targeted toward AHA; Health care executives and presentations, etc.
  
  
• Help managers study staff utilization; develop examples of ways to utilize people better.
  
  
• How to extend the influence of the laboratory across organizations.
  
  
• How to use collated data
  
  
• How to be more visible - Hospital administrators, pharmacists, etc.
  
  
• How to showcase the lab contribution to hospital administrators, M.D.’s - Clearly indicating in what ways are we valuable
  
  
• Deal with changing demographics
  
  
• Link with other groups marketing health fields
  
  
• of our members have conducted workshops and seminars for guidance counselors, science teachers and others related to the pool sources from which the raw material of young minds who become clinical laboratory professionals enters our colleges and hospital schools. This may also be a segment of the "field guide" that might benefit our entire field.
  
  
• Develop an opportunity for educators and managers to discuss changing roles of those involved in laboratory practice.
  
  
• Another avenue of marketing the great and sustained value of choosing our profession over other science careers may also include the development of a career pathway indicating lifetime learning and progress that is available in our field, and perhaps highlighting some career development programs as a showcase of examples of persons or programs that have reflected this type of sustained development for individuals over time. It would seem that certain thinking young persons may find comfort in the fact that not only is this a field that might be interesting and exciting on day one, it may also be exciting and interesting, and yes perhaps profitable, in year ten and beyond.

Summit II, January, 2001 | Data Collection | Marketing | Recruitment
Financing Education | Profession in Transition | Immediate Action Items
Immediate Consideration | Appendix A | Appendix B | SSCLP Home