Report of the results of the International Clinical Cytometry Society and American Society for Clinical Pathology workload survey of clinical flow cytometry laboratories

Background: Thorough review of current workload, staffing, and testing practices in clinical laboratories allows for optimization of laboratory efficiency and quality. This information is largely missing with regard to clinical flow cytometry laboratories. The purpose of this survey is to provide comprehensive, current, and accurate data on testing practices and laboratory staffing in clinical laboratories performing flow cytometric studies. Methods: Survey data was collected from flow cytometry laboratories through the ASCP website. Data was collected on the workload during a 1-year time period of full-time and part-time technical and professional (M.D./D.O./Ph.D. or equivalent) flow cytometry employees. Workload was examined as number of specimens and tubes per full time equivalent (FTE) technical and professional staff. Test complexity, test result interpretation, and reporting practices were also evaluated. Results: There were 205 respondent laboratories affiliated predominantly with academic and health system institutions. Overall, 1,132 FTE employees were reported with 29% professional FTE employees and 71% technical. Fifty-one percent of the testing performed was considered high complexity and 49% was low complexity. The average number of tubes per FTE technologist was 1,194 per year and the average number of specimens per FTE professional was 1,659 per year. The flow cytometry reports were predominantly written by pathologists (57%) and were typically written as a separate report (58%). Conclusions: This survey evaluates the overall status of the current practice of clinical flow cytometry and provides a comprehensive dataset as a framework to help laboratory departments, directors, and managers make appropriate, cost-effective staffing decisions.