Reinventing diagnostic services as demand grows

Improving diagnostic testing to detect diseases earlier and more efficiently is essential for saving lives, reducing backlogs, and easing some of the financial stress on healthcare systems. This article looks at the pressures facing the diagnostic sector, as well as new products and services that could help diagnostic services handle these challenges better.

Shortage of healthcare workers

In the US, the number of active pathologists dropped by 17.5% between 2007 and 2017. Since then, the problem seems to have gotten worse, with 56% of pathology departments now looking to hire more staff, up from 45% in 2017. This shortage means patients are waiting longer for their results – sometimes more than sixty days. At the same time, around thirty-five percent of pathologists report experiencing ‘burnout’ because of higher workloads.

Phlebotomy faces similar problems. New technology is making it possible to diagnose more conditions through blood tests, and an aging population is driving up demand for these services. But because phlebotomists require a certain level of training, healthcare departments are finding it tough to fill open positions as they try to keep up. It’s expected that each year, there will be about 21,500 job openings for phlebotomists on average over the next decade.

Demand for diagnostic products

With testing needs rising, there is also more and more demand for diagnostic products. For example, the North American molecular diagnostic market is projected to grow by 6.6 percent from 2019 to 2024. The COVID-19 pandemic sped up this growth, with demand for molecular tests jumping twenty times between March and October 2020.

But this surge in demand has led to major shortages of lab supplies like collection tubes, syringes, and needles, forcing staff to prioritize only urgent blood work to help conserve supplies. In January 2022, the FDA updated its list of medical device shortages to include all blood specimen collection tubes, due to supply and demand issues related to the pandemic.

Protecting healthcare professionals

In such a high-pressure setting, it’s critical that diagnostics staff have the right equipment: tools that are simple to use and reduce the chance of injuries. For example, phlebotomists experience on average one accidental blood exposure each year. Blood collection devices should be designed to be as user-friendly as possible, especially since some phlebotomists may join the field after only short, intensive training programs. Still, even as manufacturers work to develop easier-to-use products, extra training and support may be needed to ensure proper use of blood collection and other diagnostic devices.

Coping with demand

Diagnostic services are adapting to tackle the issues discussed above. Many healthcare providers in the US, Canada, and other countries have joined the Choosing Wisely campaign, an effort to encourage thoughtful use of medical tests, treatments, and procedures. The aim is to cut back on unnecessary use of healthcare resources and make sure diagnostic products go to those who need them most.

One study looked at the impact of alerting doctors before they order certain tests and found this led to a 29% drop in orders for one common test. The ‘best practices alert’ encouraged doctors to rethink tests that might be unnecessary for patients already admitted, or to avoid repeating tests that had already been performed and were sufficient.

Service delivery methods are changing too. One popular solution is to bring imaging and lab services together in one location, making it easy for companies to offer cardiac, endoscopy, and screening services all in a single stop. Another new idea is the ‘medical village’ or ‘polyclinic,’ where a variety of specialists, nurses, diagnosticians, and even dentists work together under one roof – sometimes even in shopping malls or community centers. This setup allows for much shorter wait times, with some patients being referred to the relevant provider the same day.

Looking ahead, we are also likely to see more Point of Care (POC) diagnostic innovations. The need for fast on-site screening during the COVID-19 pandemic led to a big jump in POC testing. Being able to get results right where the patient is means quicker diagnoses and treatments. Widespread implementation of POC solutions could transform the way we respond to many diseases.

Digital pathology

Advancements in healthcare delivery are expected to add more automation. Some tasks, like booking appointments or managing specialized tests, are already being handled by machines. In the future, digital pathology could help overworked labs significantly improve efficiency. Digital pathology allows tissue labs to share work in digital form instead of using microscopes and glass slides. Pathologists can review cases remotely – particularly useful during the pandemic – making it easier to get second opinions and giving trainees more learning opportunities.
Although it’s still early days for digital pathology, those who have adopted it are reporting good results. One department that started using digital pathology in 2016 has seen an average 21% increase in cases handled by pathologists per year since rolling it out. Digital tools not only speed up the diagnosis process, but also free up valuable time for pathologists to focus on other key tasks.

Conclusion

To keep up with growing demand, the diagnostics industry must keep making products and services more efficient. At the same time, the medical device sector should keep a focus on human factors during product development, so healthcare professionals can perform testing as safely and effectively as possible. There’s a lot at stake: a recent study found diagnostic products were used for 88% of initial diagnoses, 77% of treatment monitoring, and 72% of follow-up. Working together, device makers and healthcare providers can help make sure these devices are used in the best way possible, and that staff get the support they need.