Welcome to our second issue of 2007. This is a busy time of year on all fronts as legislative changes are afoot and new graduates prepare to join the world of health care and self-regulation. Bill 171 is a hot topic for regulated professions and MLTs are no exception. Read on for information about how changes will affect you and your employees. Three other topics you need to know about are the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care's new Point-of-Care Testing Guidelines, future continuing education funding through the Allied Health Professional Development Fund and new graduate employment eligibility. Finally, there have been changes to the list of tests that can be ordered by a midwife or Registered Nurse (Extended Class) under the Lab Licensing Act. Keep reading to learn what you and your employees need to know.

Bill 171 Update

We introduced potential effects of Bill 171, The Health System Improvements Act, 2007 in our last newsletter. The Bill makes changes to several pieces of health legislation including the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991. On June 4th the Bill received royal assent, which means the Bill is now a statute. Some sections come into force immediately on royal assent, but the bulk of the amendments will come into effect on the second anniversary of the Act, or at an earlier proclamation date set by the Lieutenant Governor. Stayed tuned for further updates.

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New POCT Guideline

The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) has released a revised version of the Point-Of-Care Testing (POCT) Policy and Guideline for Hospitals with a Licensed Laboratory. This policy replaces POCT Policy dated September 15, 1999. To download the revised policy, click here.

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Money for Learning

Make sure your staff take advantage of the Allied Health Professional Development Fund (AHPDF). The AHPDF makes education funds available to MLTs and other self-regulated professionals. The Fund was a success in its first year and will continue for a second year. 2007-2008 funds will be available soon. Details will be posted on the CMTLO website under What's New. In 2006-2007, only 4% of MLTs accessed the Fund. Let's use it!

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What's In Your Wallet?

New graduates will be eligible for employment as MLTs once they have been approved for registration with CMLTO, have paid their annual fees and can show their employers their wallet certificates.

The CSMLS will release June 2007 examination results by the fourth week of July. CMLTO application forms and instructions can be downloaded from www.cmlto.com.

New graduates have been mailed a letter outlining the CMLTO registration process. Complete applications will be processed within two to three weeks.

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Members were notified before renewal 2007 of an internal quality process at CMLTO. Specialties listed on certificates of registration are being compared to the areas of responsibility selected on the renewal forms. This process is well under way and CMLTO staff have been in contact with many members. Employers should confirm with MLT employees that the specialties on their wallet certificates match the specialties in which they are working.

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What Can New Grads Do?

It's that time of year again. Students in medical laboratory technology are completing their programs and have written the CSMLS exams. These students are not yet eligible for membership in the CMLTO. Many employers have asked what new grads can do in the time between completing their programs and becoming Practising members of the CMLTO.

It is important to remember that if new grads are not registered with the CMLTO, they cannot work as MLTs, hold themselves out as MLTs or use the title medical laboratory technologist or MLT. Employers may hire new grads prior to their registration with the CMLTO, but these employees are restricted in the activities they may perform. For a list of activities new grads may perform prior to becoming registered as MLTs, please refer to the June 2006 Ministry of Health document that outlines the duties of a lab technician.

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Changes to Lab Licensing Act

Have you looked at Ontario Regulation 682 amended to O. Reg. 71/07 under The Laboratory and Specimen Collection Centre Licensing Act lately?

Updates were made on February 27, 2007. A list of the laboratory tests that can be ordered by a midwife are found in Appendix B. Tests that can be ordered by a Registered Nurse (Extended Class) are found in Appendix C.

The changes are listed below. Please review the legislation for a complete list of tests.

Appendix B

Obsolete Tests Removed	Tests Added
WBC differential	Complete Blood Count (CBC) and Smear only
Platelets	Gram or Papanicolaou stain
Hematocrit
Hemoglobin
White Blood Count (covered under the CBC)
Antibiotic sensitivity (covered under test cultures).

Appendix C

Tests Removed	Tests Added
Parathyroid Hormone (PTH)	Creatine Phosphokinase (CK)
Obsolete Test Removed	Sickle cell solubility test (screen)
Antibody sensitivity (covered under test cultures).

To link to the most current versions of Acts and Regulations visit the CMLTO website at www.cmlto.com.

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