Program

2024 Opening Keynote

There’s a Snake on My Head! Dealing with Fear and Anxiety in Healthcare

Mindy Spigel, RN, MSN

Everyday people walk into healthcare afraid: patients, families, AND healthcare team members. In this presentation, we will explore the impact of fear and things we can do to ease that fear.

Mindy has a master's degree in nursing and over 40 years of experience. She published a study on fears of patients and families and a book on Amazon entitled, There’s a Snake on My Head! Strategies for Alleviating Fear and Anxiety in Healthcare For Patients, Families, AND Healthcare Teams.

2024 Closing Keynote

Breaking the Glass Ceiling! 

Joel Brown, MSM-HCA, RRT-FAARC

If you seek to soar above career obstacles, this dynamic talk is your answer. Joel will unveil the real and perceived barriers holding you back and provide you with the tools and mindset to smash through them. Get ready to identify limiting beliefs, nurture a growth mindset, and master career advancement strategies. 

Joel Brown is a respiratory therapist and American Association for Respiratory Care board member who has thrived in healthcare leadership roles, from the bedside to the boardroom. He is currently the CEO and founder of Arrived Leadership, LLC, an executive coaching, consulting, and leadership development firm. Before this role, Joel was the vice president of Acute Medicine for ChristianaCare and the senior director of patient care services at Nemours Children's. He is a former Army medic and veteran of the US Army.

2024 Schedule at a Glance

All times Eastern Standard
Stay tuned for additional session information.

Educational Sessions Preview

We invite you to explore some of the educational opportunities you will experience at the 2024 ELMC². All educational sessions will be recorded and registered attendees will have access to these recordings for 30 days after the event. Each educational session is one contact hour of P.A.C.E.^® credit. Stay tuned for additional sessions!

There’s a Snake on My Head!  Dealing with Fear and Anxiety in Health Care

Presenter: Mindy Spigel, RN, MSN

MGSpigel, LLC

Everyday people walk into healthcare afraid: patients, families, AND health care team members.  In this presentation, we will explore the impact of fear and things we can do to ease that fear.

Level of Instruction: Intermediate

Translating Quality Jargon into Problem Solving Skills any Laboratorian Can Use

Presenter: Ally Storla, MSQA, CSSBB, MLS(ASCP)^CM

Wellstar Kennestone Hospital

5S, RCA, LSS, 5 Whys—Quality is a language in and of itself but what does it all mean? How can it benefit the medical laboratory? Big Q quality contains some very powerful tools that can greatly benefit any medical laboratory with the right understanding of how to use and implement these tools. This is a crash course in basic quality tools and how to use them to benefit your medical laboratory as well as how to communicate these benefits through storytelling with data.

Level of Instruction: Intermediate

Trauma-Informed Care for Lab Professionals

Presenter: Sarah Sebton, MPA, MPH, PMP

University Health

Trauma-Informed Care fosters recovery and healing through safe and collaborative relationships. It acknowledges the impact that our experiences have on our health and wellbeing, including in the workplace. This presentation will review the basics of trauma-informed care as well as ways to create safe and supportive environments where laboratory staff are empowered to take part in their own wellbeing.

Level of Instruction: Basic

Balancing Act – Tools and Resources You Can Use to Better Manage Your Time

Presenter: Christina Nickel, MHA, MLS(ASCP)^CM

Bryan Medical Center

Struggling to keep your head above water? Attend this interactive session where you will receive new tools and learn new skills and techniques to keep your business in order – identify where you do want to spend your time and rearrange your workflow to reduce time spent on emails and other non-value-added time wasters!

Level of Instruction: Basic

Staffing to Workload

Presenter: Karafa Badjie, MS, MLS(ASCP)SBB

Mayo Clinic

This session will discuss the application of Lean DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyzer, Improve and Control) model as a tool to evaluate if laboratory staffing aligns with workload. The speaker will discuss a data driven and systematic approach using the DMAIC model to capture and visualize current staffing levels, workload demand, and map out a future state schedule that optimizes available staffing resources with workload demand.

Level of Instruction: Intermediate

Laboratory Managers:  Linchpins in MLS Terminology Implementation

Presenters: Kathy Doig, PhD, MLS(ASCP)^CM, Cindy Johnson, MS, MLS(ASCP)^CM, and Linda Smith, PhD, MLS(ASCP)^CM, BB^CM

Michigan State University, CentraCare and UT Health - San Antonio

A nationwide initiative spearheaded by the ASCP Board of Certification (BOC) and ASCLS  is underway to standardize "medical laboratory scientist (MLS)" as the title for baccalaureate-level laboratory professionals. Its success will depend on the alignment of job titles with credential titles. Laboratory managers are the linchpins in achieving that alignment.  At the end of the session you will be able to explain the rationale for the job title change to MLS and use experiences from other institutions to help you implement tips and tools for gaining administrative, staff and human resources support for the change.

Level of Instruction: Intermediate

How to Lead with Data-driven Laboratory Stewardship

Presenter: Tony Smith, BS(HCM), MLT(ASCP)

ARUP Laboratories

Data is an essential piece of any stewardship initiative, but setting up the right infrastructure for success can be challenging. In this presentation, we will explore the necessary steps to establish your data-driven program, setting you up to lead your organization in value-based and cost-saving initiatives.

Level of Instruction: Intermediate

Beyond the Pizza: Strategies to Motivate Your Team in Tough Times

Presenter: Phyllis Ingham, EdD MLS(ASCP)^CM

West Georgia Technical College

In this session, we will discover the secrets of motivating your team during tough times through the perspectives of current leadership experts. We will dive into the Golden Circle model, autonomy, mastery, GRIT, and purpose principles to ensure a positive workplace culture where employees thrive. Exploring the role of rewards, communication, and adaptable leadership, we will review strategies Laboratory Leaders can create and implement immediately to develop a motivating environment and sustain motivation for enduring success in the laboratory.

Level of Instruction: Intermediate

Planning your lab project

Presenter: Alfonso Ortiz, MLS(ASCP)^CM

University Health San Antonio

Planning a lab project can be challenging due to multiple variables. This session is intended to aid new and current laboratory managers in successful planning for project implementation.

Level of Instruction: Intermediate

Accreditation and Surveys 101

Presenter: Michael Veri, MS, MBA, MLS(ASCP)

The Joint Commission

Everything you ever wanted to know about accreditation, inspections and surveys plus a few of the common laboratory inspection/survey findings.

Level of Instruction: Basic

Breaking the Glass Ceiling! 

Presenter: Joel Brown, MSM-HCA, RRT-FAARC 

Arrived Leadership, LLC 

If you seek to soar above career obstacles, this dynamic talk is your answer. Joel will unveil the real and perceived barriers holding you back and provide you with the tools and mindset to smash through them. Get ready to identify limiting beliefs, nurture a growth mindset, and master career advancement strategies. 

Level of Instruction: Advanced

Safe and Sound: Promoting Safety Culture in the Medical Laboratory

Presenter: Letycia Nuñez-Argote, PhD, MLS(ASCP)^CM

University of Kansas

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recognizes that hospitals are hazardous spaces to work. If safety concerns are not addressed, hospital environments can increase the risk of physical and psychological harm for workers. In this presentation, we will explore important concepts of workplace safety culture and strategies to improve wellbeing for medical laboratory professionals.

Level of Instruction: Basic

The LIS Launchpad: Charting the Course to Successful Change Management

Presenter: Galina Dronova, EMBA Candidate, MLS(ASCP)

M Health Fairview

A new Laboratory Information System (LIS) implementation: a labyrinth of obstacles or an adventure into new territory where you and your laboratory have an opportunity to innovate and grow? The perspective depends on a leader's foresight into the unknown and the spirit of the team around them. Join the conversation to discover practical strategies of empowering your team during preparatory, go-live, and optimization phases of a new LIS install.

Level of Instruction: Basic

Importance of Emotional Intelligence in Laboratory Leadership

Presenter: Thao Vu, MS, MLS(ASCP)^CM

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

The session will introduce emotional intelligence (EQ), explain its importance, describe its four components (self-awareness, self-regulation, social awareness, and relationship management), and targeted strategies.

Level of Instruction: Basic

What's Your Warrior: Helping Lab Leadership Understand Veteran Service

Presenter: Casey Schroeder, PhD, MLS(ASCP)

Texas Department of State Health Services

Veterans possess many soft and hard skills taught during their service to the country. Challenges and experiences by Department of Defense laboratorians are not always clearly communicated to non-veterans. This presentation informs laboratory leadership on how to evaluate veteran experiences so that leadership better understand veteran accomplishments.

Level of Instruction: Intermediate

Leading with Confidence: Strategies for Effective Laboratory Management

Presenter: Brittany Teeter, MS, MLS(ASCP)^CM

UT-Health San Antonio

By the end of this session, you'll leave with a toolkit of strategies and insights to help you lead your laboratory with confidence, promote team cohesion, and drive outstanding results. Whether you're a new laboratory manager or looking to refine your management skills, this presentation will provide you with valuable knowledge and practical tips to excel in your role. Join us to unlock your potential as a laboratory leader!

Level of Instruction: Basic

Laboratory Accreditation: The guardrails that keep us in our proper lanes

Presenter: John Gerlach, PhD, F(ACHI)

Michigan State University

This presentation will provide the context of how accreditation provides the guidance for laboratories to provide quality outcomes.  The various accrediting agencies will be reviewed and how they relate to CLIA/CMS and each other.  How to set your laboratory up for a positive outcome/experience will be a focus of this presentation.

Level of Instruction: Intermediate

Essential Elements of Communication That Most Leaders Miss

Presenter: Kayla Fahey-Ahrndt, MPH, MLS(ASCP)SBB

M Health Fairview

Communication is a tool that we can use to create a behavior. Whether it's an action, an in-action, a change, or a request for feedback, the way we communicate is powerful. However, most leaders overlook the essential elements needed in a communication plan that can actually help you elicit the behavior you want, and this presentation will unlock those elements and set you up for communication success!

Level of Instruction: Basic

Patient Safety Benchmark Peer Reporting

Presenters: Deborah Blecker-Shelly, MS, DLM(ASCP),  Cathy Otto, PhD, MLS(ASCP)^CM and Elissa Passiment, EdM, MLS(ASCP)

Capital Health System, Retired and Rutgers University School of Health Professions

This presentation will examine the concepts of benchmarking and the use of peer comparison benchmarking and patient safety indicators to monitor all phases of laboratory services and their impact on patient safety.  National studies on patient safety, the concerns that have arisen from these studies and the role of laboratory services in improving patient safety and care will be discussed.

Level of Instruction: Basic

Fostering Inclusive Group Decision-Making

Presenter: Denise Williams, PhD, SPHR

Michigan Medicine (University of Michigan)

This session will examine how participative decision-making can be utilized to foster inclusivity within a team environment. The development of skills related to considering divergent viewpoints, improving communication skills, regulating emotions, and building a sense of inclusion, belonging, and trust in teams will be discussed.

Level of Instruction: Basic