Laboratory Supervisor

Join us at Cleveland Clinic Akron General Hospital where we have been providing world-class care to our community for over 100 years. Here, we strive for patient-centered care and comfort with our collaborative team of healthcare professionals. We are committed to serving the community and treating our patients as family.   

A Laboratory Supervisor is responsible for the technical and scientific oversight of the laboratory, including day-to-day operations, supervision of personnel performing testing, and the accuracy and timeliness of test result reporting. In this role, you will oversee 25-30 direct reports in the Lab, ensuring tests are performed with accuracy and that resources are being properly utilized. This role is essential to assisting with caregivers’ needs and development and maintaining the operational needs in the laboratory. 

A caregiver in this position works 8-hour shifts, Monday-Friday, between 7:00AM – 5:00PM, with rotating on-call requirements. 

A caregiver who excels in this role will:  

• Be responsible for the technical and scientific oversight of the laboratory, day to-day laboratory operation and personnel performing testing and reporting test results. 

• Participate in verifying test procedures performed and establishing laboratory's test performance characteristics, including the precision and accuracy of each test and test system 

• Ensure enrollment and participation in an HHS approved proficiency testing program commensurate with the services offered. 

• Establish a quality control program appropriate for the testing performed, establish the parameters for acceptable levels of analytic performance and ensure that these levels are maintained throughout the entire testing process from the initial receipt of the specimen, through sample analysis and reporting of test results. 

• Resolve technical and operational problems and ensure that remedial actions are taken whenever test systems deviate from the laboratory's established performance specifications. 

• Ensure that patient test results are not reported until all corrective actions have been taken and the test system is functioning properly. 

• Identify training needs and ensure that every performing tests receives regular in-service training and education appropriate for the type and complexity of the laboratory services performed. 

• Evaluate the competency of all testing personnel and assure that the staff maintain their competency to perform test procedures and report test results promptly, accurately and proficiently. 

• Ensure the competency of testing personnel in areas of responsibility i.e. moderately complexity and/or high complexity testing. 

• Ensure that the staff maintain their competency to perform test procedures and report test results promptly, accurately and proficiently. 

• Evaluate and document competency assessment of testing personnel in laboratory area of responsibility at least semiannually during the first year the testing personnel tests patient specimens and annually thereafter. 

• Direct observations of routine patient test performance, including patient preparation, if applicable, specimen handling, processing and testing. 

• Monitor the recording and reporting of test results. 

• Review intermediate test results or worksheets, quality control records, proficiency testing results, and preventive maintenance records. 

• Direct observation of performance of instrument maintenance and function checks. 

• Assess test performance through testing previously analyzed specimens, internal blind testing samples or external proficiency testing samples. 

• Assess problem-solving skills. 

• Supervise staff and handle staffing, hiring, orientation, scheduling, evaluating and developing staff including continuing education initiatives. 

• Ensure efficient utilization of resources. 

• Develop and maintain department objectives and services. 

• Assist with policy and procedure development and ensure compliance. 

• Maintain instruments and equipment in accordance with manufacturer’s specifications and implement and maintain performance improvement programs. 

• Assist with annual operating and capital budgets. 

• Monitor, analyze and justify expense and revenue within departments. 

Minimum qualifications for the ideal future caregiver include:  

Pattern I: 

• Bachelor's Degree in a chemical, biological, clinical or medical laboratory science, or medical technology from an accredited institution 

• 5 years of clinical laboratory training or experience, or both, in high complexity testing  

• 3-5 years of clinical laboratory leadership role preferred 

Pattern II: (Histology and Cytology only) 

• Bachelor’s Degree from a 4-year college or university 

• Education and training equivalent to meet ASCP Board of certification qualifications for Histotechnologist (HTL) 

• Education and training equivalent to meet ASCP Board of Certification qualifications for Cytotechnologist (CT) 

• Meets the requirements and training of a Cytotechnologist (CT) as dictated by most current CLIA regulations 

Required Documents: 

• Diploma and/or transcripts must be provided 

• Education will be verified 

• Education outside of the United States requires diploma/transcripts translated into English and proof of foreign equivalency from a NACES (National Association Credential Evaluation Services, Inc) member 

Preferred qualifications for the ideal future caregiver include: 

• Experience with Microbiology, Blood Bank and Specimen Processing 

For Clinical Pathology: 

• MLS (ASCP) or ASCP eligible 

For Anatomic Pathology: 

• HTL (ASCP) or ASCP eligible 

• CT (ASCP) or ASCP eligible 

• Two years of clinical laboratory management or supervisory experience 

Clinical laboratory training or experience can be met by: 

• Medical technology internship 

• Full time experience performing non-waived testing for the required number of years 

• Part-time experience performing non-waived testing, with 2080 hours equivalent to one year