As the saying goes, if you don’t have your health, you don’t have anything.
That’s why it’s so important for a province to have the medical services needed to test and diagnose the condition of its citizens.
And as Ontario’s population grows in size and diversity, you never know when health crises, like the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, will arise.
Here’s why Ontario needs more medical lab technician jobs in hospitals.
Wait times for test results are increasing.
Over 500,000 medical tests are performed every day in Ontario. That number doesn’t include COVID-19 testing either, which is becoming an overwhelming problem as the omicron variant moves through the province.
Most medical labs involved in COVID-19 testing run around 1000 test a day and there are plans forming to help double those numbers.
But for labs already running at capacity, and the existing backlogs of non-COVID-19 tests that need to completed, the only true solution is to fill more medical lab tech jobs Ontario.
Lab technicians are retiring faster than they’re being replaced.
In the next 5 years, roughly 50 percent of the medical lab technicians employed in Ontario are eligible to retire.
Many lab techs are already past retirement age and are simply staying to help manage the pandemic. But long hours and endless testing are putting technicians at serious risk of burnout, just like the rest of the healthcare industry.
In late 2019, there were nearly 850 vacancies for technicians and assistants that took months to fill. It’s clear that skilled people are needed to fill medical lab technician jobs Ontario.
Rural and remote areas are lacking in coverage.
While hospital coverage is generally good in rural and remote areas, special services like fast and accurate medical testing is not.
Decent testing facilities and higher employee pay is more common in major cities, and since people move where the work is, rural and remote areas suffer from long waits for test results.
Canada’s population is an aging one.
As the population ages, the need for quality healthcare such as medical testing, health management, and long-term care will only rise. That means Canada and Ontario needs more lab techs, nurses, and personal support workers to enter the workforce.
But right now demand exceeds supply, and the current backlog will only increase if there isn’t enough coverage. That’s why right now is a brilliant time to seek out training for a new career in health and medicine, even if it’s simply in administrative positions.
Interested in entering the healthcare industry? The Academy of Learning Career College is a great place to start.
Our healthcare programs are an excellent entry point into the medical field. You’ll develop the fundamental skills and training needed to become a valuable member of doctor’s offices, medical practices, medical labs, and more.
Contact us today to learn more about everything Albion College has to offer.
