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This study examined the transition process of clinical laboratory technologists’ national examination and job definition in Korea and compared the differences in the national examination between Korea and neighboring countries, such as Japan and Taiwan. In Korea, the number of questions made for it was 200 (1965), 200 (1977), 300 (1982), 250 (1992), 330 (2006), and 280 (2015). The practice of clinical physiology is important for real-time monitoring, given the characteristics of physiological testing. On the other hand, there are conflicts between other occupations in the working area. Clinical molecular biology needs to be established as a new major subject considering the diagnostic importance of molecular biological tests and the speed of science and technology development. Clinical laboratory operations provide policy and guidance recommendations to technologist staff. The proposed clinical laboratory technologists’ national examination comprises major subjects: clinical biochemistry, clinical hematology, clinical transfusionology, clinical immunology, clinical microbiology, clinical molecular biology, clinical histology, clinical cytology, clinical physiology, and clinical laboratory operations. In addition, this study proposes the job definition of clinical laboratory technologists, revising various chemical or physiological testing to biomedical or physiological testing required for medical practice.

This study reviewed the quality addition rate, calculation, and application criteria needed to identify the possibility of additional medical technologists in the field for new certification and professional manpower to provide a superior laboratory. The six institutions that participated in the study were the size of large hospitals with more than 1,000 beds, with an average of five full-time laboratory physicians (also called clinical pathologists) and an average of 53 medical technologists, with 10.6 per laboratory physician. An analysis of the time required for each activity category of medical technologists revealed decreasing behavior during the analysis. In contrast, the ratio of the com-prehensive pre-analysis activities was high due to the strengthening of laboratory operations and quality control. During the analysis, the proportion of biochemistry tests was high, and post-analysis of most of the results was performed. Hence, improving the quality of sample testing requires significant time, and appropriate personnel are required. In conclusion, the recruitment of medical technologists is also a key component to improving the sample quality, and corresponding personnel regulations are necessary.

This study examines and presents reasonable improvement measures for the operation and revision of the relative value scoring system, and the basis for performance of a medical technologist. Seven hospitals were enrolled in the study, and included 5 resident laboratory medicine specialists and 53 medical technologists, giving a ratio of 10.6 technologists per laboratory medicine specialist. The average of professional manpower scores was 18, and the average of each medical institution's total score was 78. Ratings and additional rates were in the range 2∼3%, and quality-added ratios were 2∼3%, with no significance. Excluding pathological testing and assessing physiological functions, the average number of diagnostic tests for health insurance claims were 9,618,062, including 4,378,146 points for 5% of the total relative value scores. According to the DEA, the appropriate number of medical technologist is one person per 49,974 points of relative value. In conclusion, our study results indicate that it would be desirable to set the appropriate workforce for medical technologist to one person per 50,000 points of relative value. Our data could be used as a basis for enhancing productivity of the workforce and balancing health care resources.