American Society for Clinical Pathology

As Americans continue to age, more testing is required more frequently.
- Beginning in January 1997, one baby boomer is turning 50 years of age about every 7 seconds
- Almost 13% of the U. S. population is now over 65 years old
- The over-85 category, which requires the greatest amount of health care services, is also growing rapidly
Demand for medical laboratory testing is increasing due to:
- Increases in the world population
- Stronger emphasis on preventive medicine, including early detection and patient responsibility
- An explosion of new medical technologies, such as genetic testing
Expanding medical knowledge and technological developments have increased the need for medical laboratory testing. For example, 35 years ago, few organ transplants were performed. Today, they are becoming routine surgeries in many hospitals. Transplant patients need significant testing before the procedure, must be monitored immediately following, and require some follow up for years after the transplant.
New and different pathogens are contributing to increased needs for laboratory testing. The identification of new diseases like AIDS, Lyme disease, and hepatitis C—and the resurgence of old foes like tuberculosis—pose serious threats to the public health.
Unprecedented increases in international travel and immigration are resulting in the importation of rare or previously unknown diseases, especially parasitic infections and inherited disorders, which increases the need for laboratory testing.
More than 10 billion laboratory tests are performed in the United States each year.
Laboratory test results constitute a significant portion of the patient’s medical records and are vital to the diagnosis and treatment of illness and disease.
Thirteen percent of the current laboratory staff is likely to retire in the next five years, according to the most recent ASCP Wage and Vacancy Report.
12,200 new laboratory professionals will be needed annually to meet the growing need of the world’s population, but only 4,000 to 6,000 graduates will join the workforce each year.

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