Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Leveraging the Laboratory

Outreach operational plans are designed to provide excellent customer service, support staff efficiency, and maintain high quality. As with any business, laboratories may face unexpected circumstances that temporarily impact operations. 

 In this episode of Mayo Clinic Laboratories’ “Leveraging the Laboratory” podcast, host Jane Hermansen, outreach manager at Mayo Clinic Laboratories, speaks with outreach solutions strategists Ellen Dijkman Dulkes and Brianne Newton about how to establish processes that allow outreach programs to efficiently recover from road bumps and minimize visible impact to the customer. 

 

Their discussion topics include:

• Navigating inclement weather and adverse events that may impact courier services.
• Managing disruptions and outages to the information technology systems.
• Preparing effective downtime plans.
• Maintaining operations during a staffing shortage.

In this episode of Mayo Clinic Laboratories’ “Leveraging the Laboratory” podcast, host Jane Hermansen, outreach manager at Mayo Clinic Laboratories, speaks with Camille Jewell, outpatient laboratory service technician at Mayo Clinic. They discuss how laboratory outreach programs can incorporate outcall or home phlebotomy to help prevent hospital readmissions, support patients with mobility challenges, and provide patient-centered care to the community.

 

Specific topics of discussion include:

• What to consider when developing a home phlebotomy program, including patient criteria, physician collaboration, community need, scheduling, logistics, and staff training.
• Real-life examples of home phlebotomy scenarios.
• Lessons learned through Mayo Clinic’s home phlebotomy program.

In this episode of Mayo Clinic Laboratories’ “Leveraging the Laboratory” podcast, host Jane Hermansen, outreach manager at Mayo Clinic Laboratories, talks with vice president of sales and services John Heywood about the important role of sales within an outreach program.

 

Specific topics of discussion include:

• How sales teams can elevate and grow laboratory outreach programs.
• Why organizations may be reluctant to hire salespersons, and how to make the case to retain or recruit them.
• How to partner with the sales team to drive change.
• The characteristics of a successful outreach salesperson.
• How to grow a career in laboratory sales.

In this episode of Mayo Clinic Laboratories’ “Leveraging the Laboratory” podcast, host Jane Hermansen, outreach manager at Mayo Clinic Laboratories, talks with outreach solutions strategists Ellen Dijkman Dulkes and Brianne Newton about creating a positive customer service experience in the outreach laboratory. 

 

Specific topics of discussion include:

• First steps in establishing a strong long-term relationship with customers.
• The key players involved in building the customer service experience.
• The importance of high-functioning information technology systems.
• Lessons learned from onboarding new outreach labs.

In this episode of Mayo Clinic Laboratories’ “Leveraging the Laboratory” podcast, host Jane Hermansen, outreach manager at Mayo Clinic Laboratories, talks with Andrew Tofilon, director of marketing at Mayo Clinic Laboratories. They discuss integrated marketing strategies for the outreach laboratory.

 

Specific topics of discussion include:

• Aligning marketing tactics with the target audience.
• Considerations when choosing digital versus print tactics.
• Leveraging the brand of the laboratory’s larger organization.
• The role that health system marketing leadership can play in promoting the laboratory.
• How to add a lab angle to every clinical story.

In this episode of Mayo Clinic Laboratories’ “Leveraging the Laboratory” podcast, host Jane Hermansen, outreach manager at Mayo Clinic Laboratories, talks with Nikola Baumann, Ph.D., co-director of the Central Clinical Laboratory and Central Processing Laboratory at Mayo Clinic. They discuss specimen challenges that may arise within an outreach laboratory and strategies for quality management.

 

Specific topics of discussion include:

• Quality management methods for high-volume and automated laboratories.
• Assessing and maintaining specimen integrity.
• Handling unexpected situations and tips for effective communication with clients.

In this episode of Mayo Clinic Laboratories’ “Leveraging the Laboratory” podcast, host Jane Hermansen, outreach manager at Mayo Clinic Laboratories, talks with quality management coordinator Kate Pearce about optimizing preanalytic quality for specimens received from outreach laboratory customers.

 

Specific topics of discussion include:

•  What to consider when monitoring the quality of preanalytic specimens, and which quality measures to monitor. 
•  How to reduce lost or mislabeled specimens.
•  The most common errors encountered during the preanalytic phase, and how to work with customers to reduce those errors.
•  Lessons learned from managing operational quality.

In this episode of Mayo Clinic Laboratories’ “Leveraging the Laboratory” podcast, host Jane Hermansen, outreach manager at Mayo Clinic Laboratories, talks with outreach solutions strategists Ellen Dijkman Dulkes and Brianne Newton about industry trends. In the past year, the health care industry has faced many challenges, especially in the laboratory. 

 

From staffing concerns and increased costs to compliance and leadership support, the hosts dig deeper into:

• The top trends and challenges in the industry.
• Tips to keep your outreach program in step with the changing times.

In this episode of Mayo Clinic Laboratories’ “Leveraging the Laboratory” podcast, host Jane Hermansen, outreach manager at Mayo Clinic Laboratories, talks with outreach solutions strategists Ellen Dijkman Dulkes and Brianne Newton about key performance indicators (KPIs). KPIs for a laboratory department should include outreach-specific KPIs, which can be used to support process improvement efforts and communicate the value and success of an outreach program. During the discussion, they cover:

• Why KPIs are important to the laboratory.
• Specific KPIs for outreach that can be particularly meaningful.
• How KPIs can be applied to process improvement initiatives to impact patient care.

In this episode of Mayo Clinic Laboratories “Leveraging the Laboratory” podcast, host Jane Hermansen, outreach manager at Mayo Clinic Laboratories, talks with outreach solutions strategists Ellen Dijkman Dulkes and Brianne Newton about supplies. Having appropriate supplies is the critical first step in collecting and preserving specimens. During the discussion, Ellen and Brianne give insight on:

• How to manage, deliver, and monitor supplies for outreach customers.
• How to maintain regulatory compliance.
• Best practices to consider for effective supply management.

On this episode of Mayo Clinic Laboratories’ “Leveraging the Laboratory” podcast, host Jane Hermansen, outreach manager, returns with outreach solutions strategists Ellen Dijkman Dulkes and Brianne Newton to chat about National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week, April 23–29. During the discussion, they weigh in on:

• How the weeklong celebration spotlights the impact laboratory professionals have on patient care.
• Ways to get out of the “basement mentality.”
• Why internal and external promotion of the laboratory matters.
• Their recommendations on how to celebrate with laboratory leaders, colleagues, and clients. 

On this episode of Mayo Clinic Laboratories “Leveraging the Laboratory” podcast, host Jane Hermansen, outreach manager at Mayo Clinic Laboratories, sits down with outreach solutions strategists Ellen Dijkman Dulkes and Brianne Newton to delve deeper into the world of outreach program management. As true pioneers of the department at Mayo Clinic, Ellen and Brianne share their robust knowledge and experience on the journey to becoming an outreach leader. 

In this episode of Mayo Clinic Laboratories’ “Leveraging the Laboratory” podcast, host Jane Hermansen, outreach manager at Mayo Clinic Laboratories, is joined by Mark Kjer, supervisor of technologist support at Mayo Clinic Laboratories. They discuss the different perspectives of the outreach program from the laboratory’s operational and technical levels.

 

Their discussion topics include:

• Challenges related to the outreach program from the lab's perspective.
• How to support staff so they can successfully manage the variations in the pre-analytic phase.
• The distinct roles of the laboratory staff in the outreach program.
• The importance of staff and client feedback in developing effective workstreams.
• How to be an advocate for both the hospital and outreach laboratory programs.

Learn more best practices at the Leveraging the Laboratory conference on Sept. 17 and 18, 2024, in Rochester, Minnesota. Register online.

In this episode of Mayo Clinic Laboratories “Leveraging the Laboratory” podcast, host Jane Hermansen, outreach manager at Mayo Clinic Laboratories, and Shannon Bennett, director of regulatory affairs for Mayo Clinic’s Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, discuss the ever-changing regulatory environment, its impact on outreach laboratories, and how lab staff can best stay on top of changing laboratory regulations.

In this episode of the "Leveraging the Laboratory" podcast, host Jane Hermansen, outreach manager at Mayo Clinic Laboratories, discusses courier options and logistics with outreach colleagues Brianne Newton and Ellen Dijkman Dulkes. They highlight what needs to be considered when choosing a courier service and how to leverage the courier partnership so it adds value to your outreach lab.

In the inaugural episode of the "Leveraging the Laboratory" podcast, host Jane Hermansen, outreach manager at Mayo Clinic Laboratories, is joined by outreach colleagues Brianne Newton and Ellen Dijkman Dulkes. They discuss their laboratory backgrounds, the history and importance of laboratory outreach, and how their work can support the growth of hospital laboratories.

At 16 years old, Isak Schmidley is the youngest person to have passed the American Society for Clinical Pathology’s (ASCP) Medical Laboratory Scientist certification exam. In addition to attending high school, Isak is enrolled in college graduate classes and works as a medical laboratory scientist at a hospital in Louisiana. 

 

In this episode of Mayo Clinic Laboratories’ “Leveraging the Laboratory” podcast, Isak joins the Mayo Clinic Laboratories outreach team — Jane Hermansen, Ellen Dijkman Dulkes, and Brianne Newton — to talk about his unique experience in joining the lab profession at a young age.

 

Their discussion topics include:

• Favorite aspects of medical lab science and working in a hospital lab.
• Raising awareness of the lab profession among the younger generation and engaging students at an earlier age.
• Why a career as a medical lab scientist may be a good fit for individuals with an interest in healthcare, science, engineering, and technology.

Learn more about connecting with the next generation of lab professionals at the Leveraging the Laboratory conference on Sept. 17 and 18, 2024, in Rochester, Minnesota. Register online.

In this episode of Mayo Clinic Laboratories’ “Leveraging the Laboratory” podcast, host Jane Hermansen, outreach manager at Mayo Clinic Laboratories, speaks with outreach solutions strategists Ellen Dijkman Dulkes and Brianne Newton. They discuss how to proactively manage the variety of patient requests and interactions that occur in an outreach laboratory beyond the phlebotomy environment.

 

Their discussion topics include:

• Communicating with the patient about at-home kit collection expectations.
• Maximizing the effectiveness and efficiency of receiving specimens from at-home collections. 
• Preventing uncomfortable situations for the patient.
• Patient questions that may arise and how to address them.

Learn more about positioning your organization for success at the Leveraging the Laboratory conference on Sept. 17 and 18, 2024, in Rochester, Minnesota. Register online.

In this episode of Mayo Clinic Laboratories’ “Leveraging the Laboratory” podcast, host Jane Hermansen, outreach manager at Mayo Clinic Laboratories, speaks with outreach solutions strategists Ellen Dijkman Dulkes and Brianne Newton. Their discussion focuses on advocating for the laboratory, lab careers, and the value of lab testing.

 

Their discussion topics include:

• How to be an advocate for the laboratory and promote careers in medical lab science.
• Their career paths and why they chose to become laboratory professionals.
• The importance of staying informed and engaged on a local and national level.
• Words of wisdom for individuals considering a future career in the laboratory.

In this episode of Mayo Clinic Laboratories’ “Leveraging the Laboratory” podcast, host Jane Hermansen, outreach manager at Mayo Clinic Laboratories, speaks with Dan Nelson, a Mayo Clinic contract employee and laboratory connectivity expert. They discuss the unique needs and challenges that outreach labs face with information technology (IT) systems.

 

Specific topics of discussion include:

• How outreach laboratories can leverage IT solutions to streamline workflows, provide efficient and convenient services to customers, and remain competitive.
• Challenges to connectivity, including robust IT support teams, middleware solutions, compliant customer workflows, electronic medical record integration, and interfacing building resources.
• How IT needs of an enterprisewide health system vary from those of an independent organization.

In this episode of Mayo Clinic Laboratories’ “Leveraging the Laboratory” podcast, host Jane Hermansen, outreach manager at Mayo Clinic Laboratories, speaks with outreach solutions strategists Ellen Dijkman Dulkes and Brianne Newton. They discuss how an outreach program can work with its customers on process improvements by using periodic visits and data-driven discussions.

 

Specific topics of discussion include:

• Strategies for having effective customer performance update meetings.
• What service elements, operational tasks, and specimen processing functions should be reviewed in a customer performance update report.
• How to use client visits to help establish a collaborative partner relationship rather than a customer-vendor relationship.

In this episode of Mayo Clinic Laboratories’ “Leveraging the Laboratory” podcast, host Jane Hermansen, outreach manager at Mayo Clinic Laboratories, talks with Erin Hoffman, division director of hospital sales and services at Mayo Clinic Laboratories. They discuss the value of the hospital laboratory, the challenges and opportunities facing community labs today, and how to have impactful conversations with hospital leadership.

 

Specific topics of discussion include:

• The greatest strengths and biggest challenges of a hospital or community-based laboratory.
• How keeping laboratory tests local benefits patients and drives revenue.
• How to effectively communicate the value of the hospital laboratory to executive leadership.

In this episode of Mayo Clinic Laboratories’ “Leveraging the Laboratory” podcast, host Jane Hermansen, outreach manager at Mayo Clinic Laboratories, talks with Shannon Bennett, director of regulatory affairs for the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at Mayo Clinic. They discuss the complex and changing environment of laboratory industry regulations.

 

Specific topics of discussion include:

• Rules around remote work for pathologists.
• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) proposed rule on laboratory-developed tests and how those changes might impact laboratories.
• Updates on reimbursement legislation, including the Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA) and the Saving Access to Laboratory Services Act (SALSA).
• What lab professionals can do to make sure their voices are heard on regulatory issues.