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The article focuses on the renewed role for public health laboratories (PHL) in the U.S. in the area of research. In 2008, the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) formed a Research Advisory Council (RAC) in recognition of the changing role of PHL systems with regard to research. Information is offered on the Innovations in Quality Public Health Laboratory Practice Project established by APHL in order to stimulate research activities.

Objective: Clinical laboratorians perform critical testing on patient samples to provide vital information used to aid in medical diagnoses, influence therapeutic treatment, and potentially impact public health. The goal of this study was to determine laboratorians' knowledge of quality measures in their workplace. Methods: A survey of clinical laboratorians was conducted in a small, predominantly rural state regarding their awareness of different components of quality assurance systems in their workplace, whether the effectiveness of these quality assurance (QA) systems was measured, and whether it was perceived to contribute to quality outcomes in the laboratory. This article examines the relationship between job title, years of experience, and knowledge of QA measures in the laboratory. Results: Laboratory supervisors were most likely to know about the quality assurance procedures in the laboratory, while inexperienced laboratorians with 0 to 10 years of experience were most likely to not know whether the effectiveness of the quality assurance procedures was being assessed, and whether the implementation of the quality assurance procedures contributed to quality of testing in the laboratory. Conclusion: Further education and training are needed so all laboratorians performing critical medical tests are aware of the quality assurance systems in place in their laboratories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]